Remaining a top concern for waterways around the state and the county are quagga and zebra mussels, which have infested some Southern California water bodies.
The California Department of Fish and Game said the mussels – sometimes only as large as a human fingernail – pose a very large threat to California’s waterways, wreaking wreak havoc on the environment by disrupting the natural food chain and releasing toxins that affect other aquatic species.
Wildlife officials reported that the mussels frequently settle in massive colonies that can block water intake and threaten municipal water supply, agricultural irrigation and power plant operations.
In Lake County, an ordinance passed by the Board of Supervisors requires any vessel entering local waters to have a mandatory screening – including a physical inspection.
In addition, all vessels are required to obtain either visitor compliance bands or resident inspection stickers prior to launching. The fee is $10 for each vessel.
The band color for July is purple, according to county officials. Boats without bands should be immediately reported to authorities.
The July 4 weekend – believed to be the busiest time of year for tourism in Lake County – arrives this year with county officials implementing new measures to protect Clear Lake and other local bodies of water.
For the first time, the county is posting volunteers at major docks and launches around the lake in order to inform the public of inspection and screening rules and monitor compliance, said Marlana Gould of the Water Resources Department.
“Our hope is to have at least one person at each dock,” she said, adding, “So far so good with that.”
The volunteers have received training on the quagga mussel program, said Gould.
They won't enforce the rules, but will check for stickers and bands and inform the public of the rules, as well as the nearest screening locations, she explained.
Gould said she's been receiving calls from visitors asking about where to get the necessary inspections.
“We have locations all around the lake,” she said.
For a list of inspection locations call the Lake County Mussel Hotline at 707-263-2556 or visit www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Water_Resources/Mussel_Prevention/Screening_Locations.htm.
Sgt. Dennis Ostini of the Lake County Sheriff's Office, who oversees the Sheriff's Marine Patrol, said they're taking a zero-tolerance approach to lack of compliance with the rules.
Now in the second season of giving citations, he said the Marine Patrol has given out more than 80 of them to noncompliant boaters.
The citation for a first offense is $100, $200 for a second and between $500 and $1,000 for a third offense, plus the possibility of up to six months in jail, according to the Lake County Code.
The state also is taking action to notify people of the danger the mussels pose.
In a letter to 117 business owners, the California Quagga/Zebra Mussels Taskforce, comprised of nearly a dozen state and federal agencies, has asked marina owners and watercraft refueling stations to stay vigilant over this Independence Day holiday weekend and encourage their patrons to practice healthy boating practices.
“California’s first line of defense is prevention. Boater awareness and action are key to preventing spread of these mussels, which can become attached to boats and other equipment,” said Susan Ellis, Department of Fish and Game’s statewide coordinator of invasive species.
“With their ability to harm waterways and water resources, quagga and zebra mussels are not to be taken lightly,” Ellis added. “They pose a substantial threat in California and it is critical to keep them from being moved to other state waterways.”
The taskforce asks boaters to inspect all exposed surfaces, wash boat hulls thoroughly, remove all plants from the boat and trailer, clean and dry live-wells and bait buckets, dispose of baitfish in the trash and drain all water-including that in lower outboard units.
Officials instructed boaters to keep watercraft dry for at least five days in warm weather and up to 30 days in cool weather between launches in different bodies of fresh water. These measures are essential to safeguard boats and preserve waterways.
In addition to local inspections, during the holiday weekend boaters may be subject to boat inspections by a number of natural resources agencies, according to the state. Boat owners who fail to follow the rules on inspections will be turned away.
If the vessel carries the mussels, the owners could have their vessel quarantined, the state reported.
For more information about Lake County's Invasive Mussel Inspection Program, visit www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Water_Resources/Mussel_Prevention.htm.
For a free online copy of the state's “Invasive Mussel Guidebook,” which provides strategies for local involvement in the quagga and zebra mussel response, visit www.resources.ca.gov/quagga/docs/QUAGGA_GUIDEBOOK.pdf.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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