Boaters could be delayed for quagga checks this weekend


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 1-2 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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 — Quagga mussel inspections could mean delays for boaters this weekend, especially near Deer Creek Reservoir and Lake Powell.

If boaters do not take the 20-30 minutes to decontaminate their boats at stations near Utah lakes and reservoirs, they will at checkpoints.

With added traffic for Independence Day weekend, the port of entry and roadside checkpoints could lead to delays, said Jordan Nielson, the Utah Division of Wildlife aquatic invasive species coordinator.

Aquatic invasion technicians are inspecting boats throughout the summer for quagga mussels, freshwater mussels that eat plankton — a necessary food source for lake ecosystems.

The mussels have invaded Lake Powell and could be in Deer Creek, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife website. Nielson said the checkpoints are a way to prevent the mussels from spreading to other lakes and reservoirs.

"We are doing our best under the obligations we have," Nielson said. "But we rely on boaters to help us out."

He said if boaters follow the decontamination process before they leave the lake, the checkpoints will take two to three minutes to pass through.

Owners decontaminate their boats by washing them with hot water, draining the boat of all water and allowing the boat to dry out for seven days.

Checkpoints are throughout Utah, including one in Daniel's Port of Entry near Heber City and a port of entry south of St. George, Nielson said.

Those cited for not decontaminating their boats could be turned over to law enforcement, pay up to a $5,000 fee and could be charged with a misdemeanor, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife website.

Email: klarsen@deseretnews.com

Related stories

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

UtahOutdoors
Katie Larsen

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast