The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) warns boaters to guard
against transporting the invasive Quagga mussel into California
aboard their vessels. With the summer boating season approaching,
the DFG and other state departments have stepped up
efforts to protect against the devastating non-native species.

“If the Quagga mussel establishes itself in California the

environmental and economic impact would be huge.
Our efforts give California its best chance to block the spread of
Quaggas through border checkpoints and the voluntary compliance
of the state’s boating public,” said Susan Ellis, DFG’s invasive
species coordinator.

In January, Nevada state officials discovered a wide spread
infestation of Quagga mussels in Lake Mead. The reservoir serves
as a primary recreational destinations for California boaters. Concerns
developed immediately that the mussels could attach to the hull of
watercraft, or survive in the craft’s ballast water, and move from
Nevada to California. DFG formed a multi-agency taskforce to
determine whether the mussels had established in California.  the
Searchers found mussels in Colorado River, Lake Havasu, and the
Colorado Aqueduct. Taskforce members included DFG, 

Department of  Boating  and Waterways, California
Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Department of

Water Resources, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

Because eradication of an established population of Quagga

is extremely difficult  and costly, the strategy remains to block

entrance into California. Anticipating thousands of vehicles with boat

trailers traveling through the check stations, motorists are asked to be

patient during inspections.

To speed the process, DFG urges all boaters to follow these key
suggestions as they leave the water:
* Inspect all exposed surfaces - Quagga mussels will feel like
sandpaper to the touch.
* Thoroughly wash the hull of each watercraft once it is out of the
water, removing all plants and animal material.
* Drain any water through the vessel's hull plug, and ensure the area
is dry.
* Ensure the vessel’s lower outboard unit is drained and dry.
* Clean and dry any live-well aboard the vessel.
* Empty and dry any buckets.
* Any vessel traveling from Lake Mead or the Colorado River should
remain dry and out of water for five days.
* Dispose of all bait in the trash.

Check stations at Yermo, Needles and Vidal Junction are operated
continuously by DFG and CDFA. Any driver towing a watercraft is
directed to the side, where the vehicle, the trailer and the watercraft
are inspected. Inspectors have checked more than 15,000 boats since
January, and have found 675 boats that contained water that was
then drained. Inspectors also found and cleaned seven boats that
carried adult Quaggas.

The Quagga, like its closely related cousin the Zebra mussel, is an
invasive aquatic species that grows to about an inch in diameter. The
small, freshwater bivalve mollusk is triangular with a ridge between

the side and bottom. It has black, cream, or white bands, and often

features dark rings on its shell almost like stripes.

Mussels from Lake Mead were sent to the University of Texas, Arlington,
and examination indicates that they may have been in the lake as long
as four years. Lake Mohave, which separates Nevada and Arizona, is also
infested, but preliminary results suggest a relatively sparse
population.

Although Quagga mussels range from microscopic to the size of a
fingernail, they are prolific and attach themselves to any hard surface. In
the Great Lakes area, Quagga mussels have covered everything from boat
engines and steering equipment to water transport facilities. They wreak
havoc with the environment, disrupting the natural food chain and
releasing toxins that affect other species. Spread of the Quagga could
result in millions of dollars in damage to water transport facilities.

A public toll-free number, 1-866-440-9530, has been established for
boaters and anyone involved with activities on lakes and rivers

that seek information about the invasive mussels. The toll-free

number is available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information on the Quagga mussel response, visit the

DFG Web site at  http://www.dfg.ca.gov/quaggamussel/.