Piru

[npangler]

This will crack you up, piru has the quagga we all know it, they know it and you still have to pass an inspection to get on the lake !!!

[elfish16]

maybe they should do a reverse inspection. inspect the boat on the way out!

[maxe]

This is getting good. When I first heard about it, the first thing I said was, "How are they gonna move water now?" Within a week the Casitas water board sent a letter to the state asking to stop Piru from releasing any water into the river system, as it ends up coming together down stream from Casitas. Of course we all know that the quaggas will easily move up the river to Casitas. The kicker is there is a mandate that water must be released into the river for the now extinct steelhead LOL. Piru water district is pissed at the Casitas water board for sending out the letter. Seems they have the attitude that, we have them so what if the other water ways get them. I don't blame them, water is money for them. These lakes have had enough time and warning to research and come up with ways to deal with the mussels, although I haven't heard of of anything being done. Should get interesting to say the least.

[george]

Cant they just post some small signs below Casitas in the water stating that it is a Quagga free zone and for all mussels to stay out or they will be fined! LOL
I think these decision makers have a quagga infestation in there brains.

[Ron T.]

Not sure about the quagga going up stream but lets say they can just for shits and giggles. what about getting into the fillmore trout hatchery just a few miles up from where the Piru creek joins the Santa Clara river. So much for transporting any trout to un infested waters.
By the looks of a large pontoon boat that passed inspection at Pyramid last week its just a matter of time all the lakes will have them. I couldn't believe it. Looked as if it were stored for years in the water and never cleaned. Alge and who knows what else covering below water line. They Left before I could get a Picture. I had to laugh in disbelief.

[mark poulson]

Not sure about the quagga going up stream but lets say they can just for shits and giggles. what about getting into the fillmore trout hatchery just a few miles up from where the Piru creek joins the Santa Clara river. So much for transporting any trout to un infested waters.
By the looks of a large pontoon boat that passed inspection at Pyramid last week its just a matter of time all the lakes will have them. I couldn't believe it. Looked as if it were stored for years in the water and never cleaned. Alge and who knows what else covering below water line. They Left before I could get a Picture. I had to laugh in disbelief.

That's a great point!

[Jeff Jewell]

Quagga's going up stream, sounds possible to me. Finally a reason to shutdown these pumps feeding the aquaduct...

[mark poulson]

With ocean going ships going all the way up to Stockton, I bet the mussels are already there.
Maybe that's what the tweakers eat.

[Dave Wilson]

A few points:
1- the steelhead aren't extinct in either the Ventura River nor the Santa Clara River- 2 years ago I released hundreds of young of the year steelhead we trapped in the Santa Clara, and I was only 1 of several fisheries people checking. It is commonly said by scientists that the Ventura River has more. What has disappeared from the Santa Clara river lately are Pacific Lampreys though.

2- Quaggas better be good at flying or walking to spread anywhere past Piru down the Santa Clara right now.
It seems to be a little dry(maybe even dry and clean), although there are some pools of water here and there.

3- It better rain soon, or we'll have bigger issues. We may get to study if the mussels can survive long dry periods.

4- Somehow United Water has to build a fish ladder up and over the dam at Piru someday, and I'm sure the quagga issue will play a role. The feds and the state will be setting the standards.

5- This whole invasive species problem sucks- I miss being able to go anywhere with my boat. But, it shall probably grow worse, and all lakes that supply water make a lot more money on water sales than on fishermen- and they hate spending money trying to clear mussels off their intake screens.

Oh, these are my views only, and do not represent the views of any organization that employs/contracts with me to provide services related to fisheries and/or invasive species control.

[mark poulson]

Dave,
Since they found a fully established mussel colony when they dove at Piru, and we were all going back and forth between there and both Castaic and Pyramid for at least the previous year with the Piru cable accepted at those lakes, do you think the mussel has spread to those two lakes by now?

[DL]

Dave,
Since they found a fully established mussel colony when they dove at Piru, and we were all going back and forth between there and both Castaic and Pyramid for at least the previous year with the Piru cable accepted at those lakes, do you think the mussel has spread to those two lakes by now?

I am not a biologist, but i would bet a $100 bill that someone brought one over....and its only a matter of time before one pops up on the lifeguard boat tied up in patrol boat cove.

[mark poulson]

Dave,
Since they found a fully established mussel colony when they dove at Piru, and we were all going back and forth between there and both Castaic and Pyramid for at least the previous year with the Piru cable accepted at those lakes, do you think the mussel has spread to those two lakes by now?

I am not a biologist, but i would bet a $100 bill that someone brought one over....and its only a matter of time before one pops up on the lifeguard boat tied up in patrol boat cove.

Daren,
I think that's a safe bet.
I know the lifeguards dive a lot on the upper lake at Castaic, so, provided they are actually looking for them, we should find out sooner rather than later. Let's wait for the water to warm a little.

[Dave Wilson]

to answer the question about Pyramid and Castaic- I will not be surprised if they find mussels there- not because bass fishermen used all 3 lakes in tournaments with one cable plan. I think it will most likely be due to boats that carry large amounts of water tankage, or any boat stored in the water for weeks/months elsewhere. In an engine they have no chance after we run a tourney because the engines are hot, bass anglers probably empty the livewells always to pass tourney inspections( I hope)- so no mussel larvae there, and since it's hard to crawl to remove a plug in the bilge probably no bilge water leaves.(except in the rain when the pumps go like crazy). It is possible that mussels were spread this way anyway, but not probable. Speaking of quagga, I was astonished how how many zillions there are on boats and rocks and docks at Mead.

[mark poulson]

Dave,
Can they survive in the ballast bladders of ski boats?

[scottsweet]

Dave,
Can they survive in the ballast bladders of ski boats?

Veligers can survive in ballast tanks. That is how the Great Lakes were infested to begin with.

[Dave Wilson]

Scott is correct- they can survive quite well in there.