Increased vigilance crucial to keep golden mussels out of Lake Tahoe | Opinion

Recent close calls with the invasive golden mussel reinforces the need for increased vigilance and inspections of boats and water gear in Lake Tahoe.

Earlier this month, Lake Tahoe watercraft inspectors stopped two boats that were headed for the lake carrying golden mussels. They spotted the invasive mollusks during inspections and followed protocols, quickly flagging the boats for decontamination and further inspection. Then, just last week, trained staff at local marinas stopped six separate boaters who were trying to circumvent mandatory inspection and decontamination with inspection seals that had been tampered with. Those enforcement cases are ongoing.

Lake Tahoe’s incredibly clear, deep blue water is at risk. The Jewel of the Sierra has overcome threats over many decades from unmanaged development and wildfires to aquatic invasive species. We’ve met every one of these threats head on, including building one of the most comprehensive aquatic invasive species prevention programs in the country.

The rapid spread of dangerous golden mussels in California waterways just a few hours from Lake Tahoe is a troubling new threat. Tahoe Basin boaters and paddlers are on high alert this Fourth of July weekend. In less than two years since their discovery in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, golden mussels have spread to Southern California and now the Port of Sacramento.

A mussel infestation could devastate the lake’s natural ecosystem, impact lake clarity and permanently damage the shoreline where people gather to swim, paddle and simply enjoy the beach.

For nearly 20 years, the Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program has helped keep invasive mussels out of Lake Tahoe. When quagga and zebra mussels were discovered in Lake Mead in Southern Nevada in 2007, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Tahoe Resource Conservation District launched one of the nation’s first mandatory watercraft inspection programs.

Prevention has expanded over the years to encompass the non-motorized community through the free Tahoe Keepers certification program, roving inspectors and new tech at popular recreation areas where solar-powered cleaning stations are available to help people clean, drain and dry kayaks, paddleboards and beach gear.

The good news is, we can continue to prevent aquatic invasive species such as the golden mussel from entering the lake with increased vigilance. In response to their detection just a few hours from Tahoe, we strengthened the inspection program to include mandatory decontamination for any motorized vessel coming from another water body.

Even while enjoying all that Tahoe has to offer, boaters, paddlers, anglers and beach-goers are following the clean, drain and dry protocol with their boats and gear before entering the lake. This protocol refers to cleaning all surfaces that touch water, including getting rid of any plants, mud and sand; draining all compartments, emptying ballast tanks, buckets and paddles; and wiping down compartments and surfaces and fully drying life jackets, ropes and toys.

Sunshine and dry time help kill aquatic invasive species more than anything else. So taking a little extra time is worth it when it means a clean, clear Lake Tahoe.

While existing prevention and inspection programs have worked as they are designed to, recent incidents are both a reminder of what is at stake and a testament to the resolve of the people working to protect this incredible place. If you are coming to Tahoe this Fourth of July weekend, or any summer day, please help protect and enjoy it the way the native Washoe People have for millennia, with a sense of stewardship and respect.

Find out about the support available to help everyone protect Lake Tahoe at TahoeBoatInspections.com

Julie W. Regan is executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.