HYRUM — When boat owners get ready to take their watercraft out of storage this spring, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources wants to remind them of a few requirements before they launch into Hyrum Reservoir or any other Utah waterbody.
Quagga mussels attach themselves to a bank at Lake Powell reservoir.
All regulations remain the same as last year for anyone boating, paddleboarding or kayaking in Utah.
DWR wants to remind boaters of rules to be aware of:
- Anyone who launches a boat or any other watercraft in Utah both resident or nonresident are required to take an annual mussel-aware boater course. This includes owners of paddle boards, kayaks and other nonmotorized watercraft.
- Anyone who wants to launch a motorized boat must also pay an annual aquatic invasive species program vessel enrollment fee. The aquatic invasive species fee is separate from a boater registration fee, and each will have separate decals.
- When leaving any waterbody and when transporting watercraft, drain plugs must be removed. Boaters should also remove any sea strainers while transporting their watercraft.
- All watercraft leaving Lake Powell the only lake with confirmed quagga mussels are required to have an exit inspection during the inspection station’s hours of operation. Inspections are not the same as decontaminations. After a watercraft is inspected, it must still be professionally decontaminated before that watercraft can launch at a different waterbody.
- All watercraft users should always clean, drain and dry their watercraft after leaving any waterbody to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species, such as quagga mussels and invasive Eurasian watermilfoil plants.
The boater registration payment can be made through the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles, and the aquatic invasive species fee can be paid online. The fee is $20 per watercraft for residents, and $25 per watercraft for nonresidents. The annual mussel-aware boater course must be completed before the aquatic invasive species program vessel enrollment fee can be paid, and then a current-year boat decal will be mailed to you.
“The aquatic invasive species funds are used to help prevent quagga mussels from spreading from Lake Powell to other Utah waterbodies,” Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Aquatic Invasive Species Statewide Operations Lt. Bruce Johnson said. “These funds help pay for new dip tanks being installed around the state that more efficiently decontaminate boats and also pay for staff to help inspect and decontaminate boats in areas without dip tanks.”
There are over 40 inspection stations located around Utah, some are located at boat launch ramps and others along highways and currently there are five decontamination dip tanks.
“We are so appreciative of all the boaters who are committed to doing their part to prevent the spread of quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species in Utah,” Johnson said.
DWR also wants people to know the negative impacts of Eurasian watermilfoil.
This invasive plant is negative for aquatic ecosystems because it spreads quickly and grows in thick mats. Its density blocks out sunlight, and it outcompetes native plants, negatively impacting fish and other native aquatic species.
- Transporting even one piece of milfoil to another waterbody can start a new population into another in waterbody.
- Eurasian watermilfoil can clog irrigation pipes.
- It also can tangle around boat propellers and cause damage.
- Removing milfoil from a waterbody once it’s found there is extremely expensive.
Eurasian watermilfoil is currently found in several waterbodies around Utah. Currently Bear Lake and Tony Grove Lake are the closest water bodies to have Eurasian watermilfoil in them. There are 14 other lakes in the state where it is found.
Boaters should be aware that, as of this year, the Lake Powell–Bullfrog Local Boater Program has been discontinued. Learn more about how to prevent the spread of quagga mussels and other aquatic invasive species on the STD of the Sea website.