Wednesday December 18, 2024
Western Outdoor News —
The most recent, and perhaps the potentially the most devastating, invasive species to enter California’s waters is the golden mussel, discovered at several sites within the California Delta and in the reservoirs of the California Aqueduct. California boaters already must be inspected at several lakes prior to launching due to the potential spread of quagga and zebra mussels, but the golden mussel presents a more potent threat as they can establish in waters with considerably lower calcium levels than required by quagga and zebra mussels. Since ocean-going vessels enter the California Delta to offload at the Port of Stockton and Port of Sacramento, invasive species such as the golden mussel are ‘easily introduced to California by a ship traveling from an international port, most likely via ballast water release from commercial shipping and introduced to other rivers by overland or aquatic transport on boat hulls or trailers,’ according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Lake Berryessa was the first domino to fall in northern California due to the potential spread of the invasive golden mussel, and within the past week, Lakes Hennesy, Camanche, and New Melones have followed suit on temporary 30-day launch closures. Lake Don Pedro is monitoring the situation with the possibility of a temporary closure at this body of water. Although the individual agencies responsible for the lakes are responding with some similarity, there are differences in gaining access to the water. California’s lakes are regulated by a plethora of organizations, and like the confusion of who was open with what restrictions during the pandemic, the golden mussel is being met with varying responses. One commonality is that hand-launched boats without electric motors such as kayaks or canoes can be launched with only an inspection. What is unclear if lakes will honor a decontaminated boat with a green tag from another body of water.