Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- Utah inspected over 295,000 boats and decontaminated 6,000 since January to prevent the spread of quagga mussels.
- Dip tanks expedite the decontamination process, with 2,616 performed this year, enhancing decontamination efficiency in Utah.
- The Department of Wildlife Resources issued 1,239 citations for violations, emphasizing mandatory education and inspection compliance.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and other partnering agencies inspected more than 295,000 boats since Jan. 1 and performed over 6,000 decontaminations to prevent the spread of invasive quagga mussels in Utah.
Native to Eastern Europe and originating from the Dnieper River drainage of Ukraine, quagga mussels are detrimental to the environment and Utah's water systems in myriad ways.
Chiefly, they remove plankton from the water, which hurts fish species in Utah. When the mussels die in large numbers, they emit a foul odor, and their sharp shells can cut the feet of beachgoers and those wading in shallow waters.
They also come with economic detriments, plugging water lines, and if they get into water delivery systems in the state, it could cost millions of dollars annually to remove them and keep the pipes free, which can result in higher utility bills for residents.
Lake Powell is the only waterbody in Utah currently infested with the mussels. Of the total inspection and decontamination numbers, 58,594 of the boat inspections and 1,200 of the decontaminations took place at stations in the Lake Powell area.
This was an increase from the 268,630 boats inspected statewide last year, 6,625 of which were decontaminated.
Fortunately, Utah is home to five dip tanks — located at the Stateline Ramp and Bullfrog marinas at Lake Powell, Utah Lake State Park, Sand Hollow State Park and Willard Bay State Park — to expedite the inspection and decontamination process.
Rather than requiring division personnel to climb around and under boats to manually spray hot water during inspections and decontaminations, the dip tank allows boaters to back their watercraft on a trailer into the 14-foot wide, 5-foot deep tank of 110-degree water to more effectively and thoroughly flush complex intake systems. The whole process takes five to 10 minutes.
"The dip tanks continue to be invaluable in improving efficiency for our decontaminations of complex boats," Department of Wildlife Resources Sgt. Krystal Tucker said in a statement. "To help in these efforts, we have plans to install an additional dip tank at the Flaming Gorge Lucerne Valley Marina in the future. These innovative resources have been instrumental in the fight against quagga mussels in Utah."
Utah's dip tanks helped with 2,616 of the total boat decontaminations so far this year.
Additionally, department conservation officers issued 1,239 citations and warnings this year for violations of Utah laws established to prevent the spread of invasive mussels, an increase from the 455 violations detected in 2023.
According to a release, the majority of the violations were due to:
- Watercraft owners failing to take the mandatory education course.
- Boaters failing to pay the required vessel-enrollment fee.
- Boaters and those with other watercraft (like wave runners, paddleboards and kayaks) failing to stop at mandatory inspection stations throughout the state.
- Boaters not removing drain plugs during transport.
"Overall, our boaters have been very compliant in helping to ensure that aquatic invasive species don't spread in Utah," Tucker said. "We really appreciate everyone's efforts. And while the boating season is winding down for the year, make sure to plan ahead for next year, and be sure to take the mandatory education course, pay the required fees, and display the necessary decals on your watercraft, so you can be ready for another great boating season next year."
Beyond the environmental and economic impacts of quagga mussels, boaters should be concerned about their spread as the mussels can get into a boat's engine cooling system, fouling the system and damaging the engine.
The required dry time is seven days during the summer. During the fall, it is 18 days, and it is 30 days during the winter. Wakeboard boats are also defined as complex boats, which always require a 30-day dry time unless they are properly decontaminated.
"During the winter season, there aren't many available watercraft inspection staff at the stations across the state," Tucker said. "So we ask boaters going to Lake Powell — or to neighboring states' mussel-infested waterbodies — to please either have their watercraft decontaminated at that location before leaving or to call us ahead of time if they are going to need a decontamination before their next launch."
People can learn more about invasive species and boater requirements here.
