27-03-2025
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency updates Watercraft Inspection Program after discovery of aquatic invasive species
( — An update to the Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program was approved to protect the lake after invasive golden mussels were discovered just a few hours away from the Tahoe Basin, according to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
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TRPA said the governing board approved the update after the invasive species was found for the first time in North America last October in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta of the state.
The Lake Tahoe inspection program has kept golden mussels out of Lake Tahoe since beginning in 2008, as they can encrust boats, piers, rocks, and pipes, according to TRPA.
TRPA along with the Tahoe Resource Conservation District enacted mandatory decontaminations for visiting motorized watercrafts going into lake Tahoe.
Motorized boaters traveling into Lake Tahoe are required to have a watercraft decontamination followed by a mandatory inspection.
'Boaters and paddlers have a key role in protecting the waters they enjoy,' said Dennis Zabaglo, aquatic invasive species program manager for TRPA. 'Golden mussels are a greater threat to Tahoe than other aquatic invasive species. We appreciate the support of boaters and will continue working to keep the lake safe and accessible to all.'
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TPRA said golden mussels have been detected through connected water systems as far as Bakersfield, since being discovered in Stockton.
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