Boat Nevada
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers
CLEAN DRAIN DRY
 NOTICE - On
January 6, live quagga mussels were discovered in Lake Mead at the
Las Vegas Boat Harbor. Since that initial discovery, other infestations
have been confirmed at Lake Mead Marina, Callville Bay Marina, Kingman
Wash and at the Lake Mead Hatchery in the Boulder Basin. Outside
of Lake Mead, additional colonies of quagga mussels have been identified
at Katherine Landing on Lake Mohave and in locations on Lake Havasu.
Divers
have now confirmed the presence of quagga mussels at both the south
and the north ends of The Narrows between the Boulder Basin and
the Virgin Basin of Lake Mead. They have also been found on the
face of Hoover Dam and in the Colorado River below the dam. Assessment
programs are ongoing throughout the Colorado River Basin.
Quagga mussels are biofoulers that can obstruct pipes in municipal
and industrial raw-water systems, costing millions of dollars annually
to treat. Their presence can also have serious impacts on native
wildlife, fisheries and the local ecosystem. And for the unsuspecting
boater, these creatures can be the cause of some real headaches.
NDOW's weekly trout plants have resumed at Lake Mead locations
only. The agency continues to work on protocols that will allow
NDOW to move fish from the Lake Mead Fish Hatchery into other waters
without the fear of moving a mussel.
Does the quagga’s presence mean you can no longer go fishing,
swimming or boating in the affected bodies of water? No, that isn’t
the case at all, but by taking just a few minutes to learn about
these demons from the deep, you can protect your own equipment while
doing your part to protect Nevada's waters from further infestation..
Even careful citizens can accidentally introduce harmful plants
and animals into our state waters. Be aware of the problem and how
you can help prevent it:
What's the Problem?
Outside their native home, some plants and animals can
- Clog our waters
- Eat our native plants and animals
- Damage sport fisheries
- Cause health concerns for humans
- Cause millions of dollars worth of economic damage
Be part of the solution
Boaters
- Remove any visible mud, plants, fish or animals before transporting
equipment
- Drain water from equipment before transporting
- Clean and dry anything that comes into contact with water
(boats, trailers, equipments, clothing, dogs, etc.)
- Flush your jetski, boat or bilge/ballast with hot sudsy water
or a 5% bleach solution.
- Remove all hitchhiking plants and animals and place them in
the trash.
- Rinse your boat and equipment thoroughly, including draining
all lake or river water
- Air-dry your boat, personal watercraft or other equipment
for at least five days before moving to a new body of water.
- Never release plants, fish or animals into a body of water
unless they came out of that body of water.
- CLEAN DRAIN DRY
Anglers
- Rinse mud and debris from waders and gear after use, and let
it dry as long as possible
- Do not reuse bait or transfer between bodies of water.
- Follow regulations regarding live bait; many invasive species
problems are the result of bait releases
- Never release plants, fish or animals into a body of water
unless they came out of that body of water.
Aquarium Owners
- Don't release unwanted aquarium plants or animals into our
waters. Aquarium releases are a major problem in some parts
of Nevada.
For further information on impacts of unwanted invasives, visit
the Protect Your Waters website at
www.protectyourwaters.net or the 100th Meridian Initiative website
at www.100thmeridian.org.
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