Since the quagga mussel discovery in Lake Mead, NV on January 6, 2007, the new pest of the West has continued its rapid expansion into the Colorado water system.  New strick laws are now in place you should know about when purchasing or transfering boats from these contaminated waterways.   All is not lost if you follow these procedures for removing and disposing of the mussels.

Crowley Lake

• RESTRICTION: All boats will be thoroughly inspected.
• All boat owners are required to fill out a written questionnaire concerning the past use of the boat. Download a questionnaire to fill out at the following link: http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp010523.pdf
• All boats and trailers must be clean and dry or they will be denied access.
• All drain plugs must be pulled or opened prior to boat transport that day.
• All vehicles towing boats will be required to have a visible Inspection Certification during boat launching at Crowley Lake.
• Wakeboard and ski boats with ballast tanks or “Fat Sacs™” must demonstrate these tanks are dry prior to entry.

East Bay Municipal Utilities District
Reservoirs: Camanche, Pardee, San Pablo, Chabot, Briones, Lafayette

• Boaters from outside of California, southern California, San Benito and Santa Clara counties and those boaters who recently had their boats in any newly identified high risk reservoirs will be turned away.
• All boats will be inspected before launch.
• Any boats found to have mussels when inspected will not be allowed on the water.
• For more information contact the EBMUD at (866) 403-2683.

Boaters from outside of California, southern California, San Benito and Santa Clara counties and those boaters who recently had their boats in any newly identified high risk reservoirs will be turned away. All boats will be inspected before launch. Any boats found to have mussels when inspected will not be allowed on the water. (866) 403-2683

Lake Cachuma

• All privately owned boats will be inspected. 
• Boats must have a dry bilge, dry wet well and clean undersides.
• Live bait will be limited to night crawlers.
• Copy of the survey will be kept on file for each boater. 
• Frequent boaters will be given an abbreviated interview. 
• For more information contact County of Santa Barbara Parks Department at (805) 568-2461.

Lake Casitas

• Restricts outside boats, including canoes, kayaks and float tubes from entering the Lake Casitas Recreation Area.  Those vessels not currently stored or moored at the recreation area are exempted.
• The restriction was adopted on March 4, 2008 by the Casitas Municipal Water District (CMWD) and will be effective for one year. 
• Local boaters are allowed after inspection and a 10-day quarantine of the vessel and trailer. 
• CMWD will allow outside boats to exclusively use Lake Casitas.  Boats that want to participate in this program are urged to reserve their place on a waiting list by calling (805) 649-2233, ext. 7.  Park staff will begin scheduling boat inspections with those on the list.
• The new program relies on locks and tags that are designed to ensure boats are not used at any other lake.  There will be a onetime $50 charge to cover the cost of the lock and tag.  Boats will be locked to a trailer, which can then be stored at a boater’s home or at Lake Casitas.  Boaters will be able to use the lake as often as they like after their boat goes through the initial clean and dry inspection and a 10-day quarantine period.  Once a boater decides to use another lake they will need to start the process all over again. 
• For more information call (805) 649-2233, ext. 103

Lake County, includes Clear Lake

• Mandatory inspection of any water vessel prior to launching in a Lake County water body.  Applies to all motorized and non-motorized vessels and trailers. 
• All vessels are required to obtain an inspection sticker prior to launching. 
• The disposal of live bait and any liquid that contains or has contained live bait into Lake County water is banned.
• For more information, call the Lake County Mussel Hotline: (707) 263-2556.

Lake Tahoe:

Mandatory inspections are being conducted at most public launch facilities in the Tahoe Region.  Aquatic Invasive Species pose a serious threat to the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe and surrounding lakes.  Inspections are currently free and are being conducted as efficiently as possible. Please be patient and cooperative with inspectors at Lake Tahoe boat ramps and be prepared for inspections by arriving at the launch site with your watercraft clean, drained and dry (live wells and ballast tanks drained, bilge plugs pulled).

All watercraft, motorized and nonmotorized, are subject to an inspection prior to launching into the waters of the Lake Tahoe Region to detect the presence and to prevent the introduction of aquatic Invasive Species.

Prohibition:
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Code 79.3.A. The transport or introduction of aquatic invasive species into the Lake Tahoe Region is prohibited.  Further, it is prohibited to launch any watercraft into the waters of the Lake Tahoe Region, including Fallen Leaf and Cascade lakes, that are contaminated with aquatic invasive species.

Watercraft Inspections: 
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Code 79.3.B. All watercraft are subject to an inspection prior to launching into the waters of the Lake Tahoe Region when requested by an inspector.  Inspections are conducted by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency or its designee.

Decontamination:
There are currently several decontamination sites located around Lake Tahoe for boater convenience.  Boats identified as high risk and/or containing water in the bilge, ballast tanks, live wells and/or engine cooling system will be asked to decontaminate prior to launching to avoid the illegal introduction of aquatic invasive species.  If you are traveling from a high risk area, you can call ahead to schedule a decontamination.

Hot line:  Please call 1-888-TAHO-ANS to get more information about inspections, decontamination or to report any sightings of zebra or quagga mussels.  You can also visit one of the following websites for more information:

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency www.trpa.org

Tahoe Resource Conservation District
www.tahoercd.org/AquaticInvasives.php

Santa Clara County Parks

• RESTRICTION: All watercraft entering Anderson Lake, Coyote Lake, Calero Reservoir and Stevens Creek Reservoir will be subject to inspection until December 31, 2008. All other county reservoirs will be closed to boating.
• Watercraft coming from San Benito County and all counties south of the Tehachapi Mountains will be denied entry as will vessels from out of state.
• A $7.00 inspection fee will be collected per inspection.  An annual vessel inspection pass of $35 will also be offered. 
• Current vessel registration documents are required at the time of inspection. 
• Vessel owners will be required to have their vessels decontaminated using hot water treatment or they will not be permitted to launch. 
• A “banding” program will be offered for convenience to the vessel owner. Once a vessel has left the reservoir for the day, a plastic band may be attached to the vessel between the winch hook of the trailer and the eyeball of the boa of the vessel.  If this band is broken upon reentry into the reservoir, that vessel will be re-inspected before entering the water and an inspection fee will be collected.  If any vessels are found to have water in the bilge or live well, or are not clean, they will not be allowed to launch. 
• For more information, visit www.parkhere.org or call (408) 355-2201.

***This list is provided as a courtesy by the State of California. Waterway restrictions may change and there may be vessel inspection details not provided in this summary. We urge boaters, before traveling, to contact the waterway management agency in question to obtain current and accurate information on any restrictions that may be in place.***