Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — In an effort to stop the spread of invasive quagga mussels, the Division of Wildlife Resources is requiring anyone in Southern Utah who is transporting a boat north on I-15 to exit the freeway for a boat inspection.
The inspections will take place at the port of entry just south of St. George, according to a DWR news release. DWR technicians will ask boaters some questions and perform a free boat inspection to check for quagga mussels. After the boat inspection, technicians will place a tag on the boat indicating that it has undergone the required inspection.
The station at the port of entry is staffed seven days a week and DWR personnel will continue to staff it until sometime this fall, the news release said. DWR aquatic invasive species coordinator Jordan Nielson said residents and nonresidents traveling in Southern Utah with a boat must stop at the port of entry.
The mandatory inspections have been implemented because all of the reservoirs in the lower Colorado River drainage have quagga mussels in them, the news release said.
“Having this station allows us to intercept boats that are coming from those waters,” Nielson said in the news release. “If you pass the port of entry, law enforcement officers will find your vehicle and pull you over. Don’t risk a fine; pull into the port of entry and help us keep quagga mussels out of Utah.”
Related Stories:
Tips for decontaminating boats from quagga mussels
In an effort to avoid spreading the suspected quagga mussels in Deer Creek State Park, Utah State Park officials closed the Charleston Bay boat ramp Wednesday and offered decontamination tips.Recent reports also said quagga mussels were found in a water sample taken from Deer Creek Reservoir. Along with mandatory boat inspections, Utah State Park officials also closed the Charleston Bay boat ramp at Deer Creek State Park on March 4.
If you’ve been on a body of water that has quagga mussels, Utah law requires that the boat be decontaminated. Utah State Parks officials recently gave tips for decontaminating a boat, but DWR technicians will decontaminate boats traveling on I-15 near St. George during the mandatory inspection.
Nielson said the ability to decontaminate boats at the port of entry is limited and if technicians can’t decontaminate your boat, they’ll direct you to a location where it can be done, the news release said.
State officials are concerned about the spread of quagga mussels because they cause many problems including plugging water lines and damaging boats. Mussels also remove plankton from the water column and plankton support many of Utah’s native fish, the news release said. When mussels die in large numbers, they smell bad and their sharp shells can cut people’s feet.
Utah legislators recently proposed having boaters pay a fee to help fight the mussel invasion.
Contributing: Alex Cabrero, Stace Hall
