Northern California Lakes ban SoCal Boats

John Barron · Post by **John Barron** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:33 pm

I'm not a doom and gloom person but I surely don't like what I'm seeing.
jb
"Clean and Dry"

EBMUD Closes Reservoirs to Stop Spread of Mussels
By Denis Cuff

The East Bay Municipal Utility District will restrict recreational boating in six reservoirs to prevent the spread of two non-native mussels that have caused havoc in waterways in many states, EBMUD officials announced Thursday.

Boats from Southern California and San Benito and Santa Clara counties will be banned from using the six reservoirs -- some of them popular recreational lakes.

Also, local boats must pass EBMUD inspections for quagga and zebra mussels before they will be allowed to enter the drinking water lakes.

The new restrictions go into effect Feb. 1 at San Pablo, Chabot, Briones and Lafayette reservoirs in the East Bay, and Camanche and San Pablo reservoirs in the Sierra foothills.

"We are trying to prevent the spread of both these mussels because we don't know which one will show up first," EBMUD spokesman Charles Hardy said. "We want to protect our water system and the environment from the severe damage that these mussels can cause."

As yet, EBMUD has found neither mussel in its reservoirs.

Water suppliers around California are anxious since the Jan. 15 announcement of the first confirmed discovery of the zebra mussel in California at the San Justo reservoir near Hollister in San Benito County.

The quagga was first discovered in Southern California waters in January 2007.

Both types of mussels can attach themselves to boat hulls and surfaces or stow away in pooled water in a vessel to hitchhike rides hundreds of miles.

EBMUD is believed to be the first water district in the Bay Area to impose boating restrictions related to the mussels, but it may not be the last, water industry officials said Thursday.

"We take this situation very seriously," said Susan Siravo, spokeswoman for the Santa Clara Valley Water District. "We have not enacted boating restrictions so far. We are collecting information and monitoring for the mussels."

The fast-multiplying mussels can clog water pipes and pumps in water distribution systems and water intakes for power plants.

The zebra has caused major environmental disruptions in the Great Lakes, crowding out native shellfish and changing the food chain.

California fish and game experts worry that either mussel would threaten the ecological health of the San Francisco-Sacramento Delta estuary.

Hardy of EBMUD said his water district has set aside $2 million to spend in the next two years to defend against the mussels -- including the cost of extra labor to inspect local boats before allowing them to launch.

The San Pablo Reservoir between Orinda and El Sobrante doesn't open for the season until Feb. 15, when the inspections will begin.

The Contra Costa Water District has not imposed boating restrictions in its Los Vaqueros Reservoir in part because it doesn't allow people to bring in private boats there. Visitors can rent boats kept at the reservoir.

State officials urge that boaters anywhere in California check their boats carefully for mussels or mussel larvae before entering a waterway. The larvae can feel like sandpaper.

After removing a boat from a waterway, boaters should rinse them off and dry them thoroughly, officials say.

For more information on zebra and quagga mussels, visit http:// www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel.

State inspectors at border check points have detected mussels on 104 boats being towed into the state, said Alexia Retallack, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Game.

For more information on zebra and quagga mussels, visit http:// www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel.

Contact reporter Denis Cuff at 925-943-8267 or dcuff@bayareanewsgroup.com.

Originally published by Denis Cuff, STAFF WRITER.

Brian D. · Post by **Brian D.** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 5:32 pm

drew · Post by **drew** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 5:37 pm

Of course we know this is unconstitutional right.

Any northern CA boat could fish So. CA lakes as much or more then a So. CA boat.

Munsey · Post by **Munsey** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 6:21 pm

Man
This is what John and Ron have been telling us.

This is scary

Mike M

Ray L. · Post by **Ray L.** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:14 pm

Yes we have...

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:26 pm

I need to go to law school. They are going to start panicking and close everything. Then they are going to do an environmental study that will take 3 or 4 years. Then, you are going to see massive legal battles between taxpayers and the city/county/state. It's going to get ugly.

drew · Post by **drew** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:52 pm

I want to know what will happen if they close a lake without a thorough study and then they find it has the mussels sometime after the closure. Will they reopen the lake to the public?

The lakes were originally sold to the tax payers with specific intentions and uses. Some for drinking water, others for recreation or both. It seems they are duping us with false pretenses. They don't seem to care about our rights and the businesses that earn a living from their use. I guess there will be very few boat dealers in CA.

hippie · Post by **hippie** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:22 pm

my wife is going to love them closing all the lakes.Guess I need to call and get a new stick shaped. Back to waking up early and paddling out in the cold surf.

Caveman · Post by **Caveman** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:13 pm

They're gonna send me back to full-time SW fishing if they keep this up.

Rob Cummings · Post by **Rob Cummings** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:27 pm

They might as well...it's only way the Northern guys are going to keep that HBC belt up there!!!!!!!!!!!

smpboy · Post by **smpboy** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:46 pm

so i guess none of are so cali tax payers $ is used to fund those lakes

bassindon69 · Post by **bassindon69** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:06 am

Just come to my house and go in my boat

Where there is a will there is a way.

Don.

Ray L. · Post by **Ray L.** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:24 pm

You know I have been thinking about this all day.
This is very disturbing to me. This is the door that is now open for all water districts in the state.
First off they are not letting us from S. Cal. to go on the lakes they have mentioned.
Well I have heard there is 1 more lake on that water district water chain. Pardee is on the e.b.m.u.d. chain of lakes. Pardee is 1 awesome fishery with dog smallie fishing. I know this lake is also on this list just not mentioned.
Camanche is another great fishery.
Since e.b.m.u.d. is now in the buisness of profiling and think it is legal good for them. Maybe they should learn that Profiling is illegal.
I fished Pardee 1 time and Comanche several times and am not happy that I can't go back.
This is wrong in so many ways.

DougH · Post by **DougH** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:43 pm

sic em rae-el

BTW, do we have any lawyers in the bassing community?
How about we have a few tourneys for the legal costs that we're about to incur?
If we can get 30 ish boats paying 150 a boat or something, with some very modest payouts, we can get a good legal bankroll going.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 4:56 pm

Good, southern Calif has been stealing out water up here for years. Now maybe they will shut off the water flow down to there too.

Hollywood · Post by **Hollywood** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:00 pm

Brian wrote:Good, southern Calif has been stealing out water up here for years. Now maybe they will shut off the water flow down to there too.

Brian just for that I took an extra long shower and when I got out, I let the water still run for another 20 minutes and when I brush my teeth tonight, I will let the water run and let it prolly drip all night long too! we need our lakes full so keep sending us your dam water! thank you!

g-man · Post by **g-man** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:02 pm

Hollywood wrote:
Brian wrote:Good, southern Calif has been stealing out water up here for years. Now maybe they will shut off the water flow down to there too.
Brian just for that I took an extra long shower and when I got out, I let the water still run for another 20 minutes and when I brush my teeth tonight, I will let the water run and let it prolly drip all night long too! we need our lakes full so keep sending us your dam water! thank you!

Wood!

LMFAO!!!!!! water thief!

John Barron · Post by **John Barron** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:04 pm

Brian, I'm sorry to hear your not with us on this one.
jb
"Clean and Dry"
"Don't move a Mussel"

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:04 pm

Wood, you get your phone fixed yet?

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:48 pm

Wood,
has your a-- gotten so big you need that long to wash it off? Keep stealing our water and the man is gonna get ya!
Smitty

smpboy · Post by **smpboy** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:55 pm

man this sux this is only the tip of the iceburg many more lakes will follow just a matter of time before someone takes legal action.

Noluk · Post by **Noluk** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:58 am

Any angler who is not alarmed by this is living in a fantasy world. It has nothing to do with SoCal boats. It has everything to do with water districts maximizing profits. Lakes are using the "mussell" issue to modify state law and restrict access on our lakes. There have been zebra mussels found in Northern waters and I will bet you nickles to dollars there is a NON-native species in the Delta somewhere. What is the point?

The number one goal of every lake/water district is profits. I guarantee you that renting out a johnboat at 100.00 for a day is going to be far more profitable for them than letting bass anglers launch their rigs for 7.00. If the lakes can get away with banning SoCal anglers or other lakes can get away with imposing curfews on boats that have been on other lakes, then they can get away with anything. And if they can put this suspension of our rights on a mussel then so much the better.

TBH I am concerened with the mussel issue. Unfortunately, most of us never knew about it before last year. If there have been mussels in Mead and Havasu for the last 3-4 years, just how many boats may have transported a cup of water between bodies of water. Not just bass boats, all boats. All we can do is take responsibility for our own equipment at this stage and continue to work together to ensure that we as anglers continue to press for our rights to access the lakes our taxes helped build.

CORAL 96 · Post by **CORAL 96** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:00 am

Instead of "Knee Jerking", they need to get some scientists together to figure out a way to eraticate them. But I understand some area's get a new species foriegn to their waters daily due to big ships dumping their bilges in our waters. Man, can ya think of what's in the SF bay or the Delta for that matter??

Things that make ya go HUMMMMMM!!!

Ray L. · Post by **Ray L.** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:33 am

This issue is not just bass boats it is all boating.
Skiers pleasure and yes even lake lice.
John myself and Ron. As well as a few others are working all the time on this issue and are on the phone as well as e mailing each other all the time.
We are fighting for our rights but we need all of you to inform the un informed. Don't just talk on western bass go to other websites and forums inform anyone and everyone you can. The more educated we are the more educated others will be.
Please this is a very serious deal. We are in it for the log haul and I hope the rest of you will join us.

Pearl Swimbaits · Post by **Pearl Swimbaits** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:53 am

Fighting the wrong battle, when are we going to attack the problem. How did they get here! It was not the boats. This is their ploy, we fight with each other on pointless issues they pull the wool over everyones eyes and bingo WE R SCREWED.

These things r in the water bcuz the water districts dropped the ball. They dont want to ruin the drinking water lakes? How about the ones they already infected?

Put together the biggest lawsiut, name every big wig in the water district and answers will flow or do what everyone always does and we will see you in the ocean

Strength in ####### Lets get our heads right

Mike

Brian Linehan · Post by **Brian Linehan** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:16 am

No offense at all Ray, but we are going to need a lot more than a few bass fishermen. We're going to need lawyers, Senators, etc. to even have a shot.

Vince Lazzeroni · Post by **Vince Lazzeroni** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:36 am

Brian Linehan wrote:No offense at all Ray, but we are going to need a lot more than a few bass fishermen. We're going to need lawyers, Senators, etc. to even have a shot.

Here is the list of state Senators:

http://www.senate.ca.gov/~newsen/senators/senators.htp

Ray L. · Post by **Ray L.** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:39 am

I know that Brian.
We have 1 in mind ....

CN · Post by CN » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:55 am

Pearl Swimbaits wrote:Fighting the wrong battle, when are we going to attack the problem. How did they get here! It was not the boats. This is their ploy, we fight with each other on pointless issues they pull the wool over everyones eyes and bingo WE R SCREWED.

These things r in the water bcuz the water districts dropped the ball. They dont want to ruin the drinking water lakes? How about the ones they already infected?

Put together the biggest lawsiut, name every big wig in the water district and answers will flow or do what everyone always does and we will see you in the ocean

Strength in ####### Lets get our heads right

Mike

Well there slowly takeing away the Ocean to.We are loseing more and more every day.Last year they allmost closed Salmon fishing here in Monterey.

Dont know which one to sell first...the Ranger or the Grady White.Float tube sale's may go thru the roof.

Hell they closed San Justo to all boating becouse they found Zebra mussel's there and it's halfway up the State.How did they get in there?To me there's no way it was a boat from Southern California that launched there.

I remember talking to the Ranger at Nacimineto one time and he said that this and many lake's were not built for recreational use it is just an added bonus so perhap's we have no right's I dont know.

CORAL 96 · Post by **CORAL 96** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:52 pm

This could be VERY detremental to all boating in general. We could have a lot of folks (fishing, skiing, pwc's, rec boats, etc) sitting idle. One question though, can you still bring in a minnow bucket full of water from someplace else? Seems if someone changed their water from one lake to another you'd be facing the same problem. Could birds transfer them in? I remember a story on how some places got populated with BASS the same way.

Seems to me, more ways than one to populate with the mussel.

Hollywood · Post by **Hollywood** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:16 pm

Brian wrote:Wood, you get your phone fixed yet?

yeah the new one arrived in the mail the other day, send me a text so i have your number again.

Art H. · Post by **Art H.** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 1:35 pm

Brian wrote:Good, southern Calif has been stealing out water up here for years. Now maybe they will shut off the water flow down to there too.

It will be shutoff soon. Remember the Delta Smelt. It has raised it's head above water again. I will keep you posted.

Pearl Swimbaits · Post by **Pearl Swimbaits** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:02 pm

Has anyone personally seen a mussle at one of these lakes

I really dont believe these things til I see them. How long have they been here? Did they ever really disappear? To me they are hiding the real motive and will let us create our own death sentence.

Is their really a mussle problem

DL · Post by DL » Tue Jan 29, 2008 2:28 pm

Pearl, stick your head in the sand long enough and they will be on your Arse when you finally wake up. There is no conspiracy theory here....just look what is going on at Casitas and up north..

nipples · Post by **nipples** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:23 am

CORAL 96 wrote:This could be VERY detremental to all boating in general. We could have a lot of folks (fishing, skiing, pwc's, rec boats, etc) sitting idle. One question though, can you still bring in a minnow bucket full of water from someplace else? Seems if someone changed their water from one lake to another you'd be facing the same problem. Could birds transfer them in? I remember a story on how some places got populated with BASS the same way. Seems to me, more ways than one to populate with the mussel.

We can't control nature, and no one is saying we can, but we can control ourselves. And controlling ourselves IS something we all have to do. Initially targeting the most common culprit of the spread IS valid and IS the most effective approach to start with. No one ever said it was a 100% solution, but it does help. We still do not have a valid way to eradicate these mussels.

They are trying to get rid of them in the great lakes, but are not having success. Granted, the Quagga is responsible for the comeback of those fisheries as they took the lakes from polluted to healthy, but they are in motion and cannot be stopped. They threaten to filter the water too much at this point and clear all the remaining nutrients out of the water and take it to the opposite extreme. Not to mention they are causing some very expensive damage. Perhaps we can only delay the inevitable, but at least we delay it. And if for no other reason then to delay it, our efforts are worth the extra effort to prevent the spread.

I would like to see an approach of introducing a predator that will eat the Quagga instead of trying to poison it. Or, since they are little tiny water filters, is there something natural we can target them with to "clog" those little filters with minimal impact to the rest of the eco-system (feed them some Jello or something)...

Anyway.... Preventing the spread does buy us time to try to find a good way to eradicate them. And in the long run, it can and will save tax dollars. But by all means... Yes... Let's delay it... For at least a few more fishing seasons...

Good Fishing,

-Paul-

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:30 am

maybe i dont know what im talking about...but i dont think introducing a predator could get rid of them. Its my understand that they spread like wild fire. Im sure it might help out the situation, but then your just creating a lopsided affect in your ecosystem.

John Barron · Post by **John Barron** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 1:25 pm

Very good points nipples. One thing that is not being said very much at least not on these boards is that DFG is working very hard to find a solution and is discovering something new every day. We need to do all we can to prevent transporting them or slow down these little buggers as much as we can. We need to give the scientists time to figure it out. Feeding them jello might not work unless it's hospital jello!

I read something yesterday about the mussel running it's course in another country and are dying off. The animals that eat them are also dying because they are eating "bad" mussels. What I don't understand and I know this is just human nature but there are some among us that just don't get it and take this very lightly. I have a pretty good sense of humor as most that know me can tell you but this is not a laughing matter and we'll be laughing out out a$$ when we can't go to a lake and fish because we live in a zip code that is banned on the lake we want to go fish.
jb
"Clean and Dry"

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