Quagga mussels on a boat propeller

The county Board of Supervisors will consider appropriating $1.75 million on Tuesday to fund the state’s quagga and zebra mussel inspection and education program at Castaic and Pyramid lakes.

Quagga and zebra (dreissenid) mussels are invasive, non-native species that have invaded waterways across the United States, clogging water delivery systems and choking out native species.

At Castaic and Pyramid, the state of California has been inspecting boats before they launch, because that’s the way they spread: The little critters glom onto a boat in an “infected” lake, and when the boat is then taken out on a virgin lake, the pests have a new home.

Now the state is saying the county needs to pony up if the inspection program is to continue.

Text from county Parks Director Russ Guiney’s board report follows.

Purpose of Recommended Action

The potential spread of the non-native dreissenid mussels to Los Angeles County is of significant concern due to the negative economic impacts associated with the introduction and proliferation of dreissenid mussels in freshwater bodies of water. These mussels cause great economic damage when they infest pipes, pumps, or other components of municipal and industrial water supply systems or power plant cooling systems. In addition to the potential damage on water purveyance systems, these mussels can seriously disrupt and negatively affect the ecosystem of freshwater lakes and rivers. Once a water system is infested, the costly measures required to eradicate these mussels can have serious detrimental effects on the recreational aspects of a freshwater lake or river system.

Presently, the Department of Parks and Recreation (Department) maintains a comprehensive vessel inspection and public information program designed to prevent the introduction of dreissenid mussels through infested boats and other watercraft vessels that recreate at Castaic Lake and Pyramid Lake (Lakes). Under the current program, any vessel attempting to launch at either of the Lakes must pass an inspection prior to launching.

In order to maintain this comprehensive mussel prevention program, the Department requires additional resources. Approval of the recommended actions will approve the attached Resolution (Attachment I) authorizing the Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation (Director), as an agent of the County of Los Angeles, to accept and execute Contract No. 4600010660 (Contract), effective September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2017, with the State of California Department of Water Resources (State) for funds up to the maximum amount of $1,753,118 that will enable the Department to continue to inspect every vessel permitted to launch at the Lakes.

Approval of the recommended actions will also authorize the Director to execute all future amendments, modifications, extensions, renewals, and augmentations to the Contract, when necessary.

Impact on Current Services

Any vessel attempting to launch at either of the Lakes will undergo a thorough inspection by a trained Department staff member. Vessels will be required to be completely dry and clean of all debris, and may not have recreated in an infected lake within seven days prior to launching at the Lakes. Any vessel that does not meet these requirements fails inspection and will be prevented from launching. Based on data from the Department’s current program, the Department estimates that anywhere between five to seven percent of vessels attempting to launch at the Lakes will fail inspection.

Once a vessel has been deemed safe, Department staff will apply “bands” that connect the watercraft vessel to its trailer so that the vessel cannot be used between the time of inspection and subsequent launching at either of the Lakes without detection. This vessel inspection and certification program will ensure that all vessels have been thoroughly inspected, avoid redundant screening, and reduce processing time by allowing staff to concentrate on vessels that have not been previously inspected.

This program will also increase resource protection and reduce waiting time for boaters who regularly visit Castaic Lake and Pyramid Lake. Approval of this contract is part of the Department’s continuing effort to provide the best possible service to the public in a cost-effective manner.