# Invasive quagga mussel found in Utah reservoir



## KennyC (Apr 28, 2010)

"It appears to be what wildlife experts have been fearing and campaigning against for several years: a quagga mussel. Quagga and zebra mussels are potentially disastrous, so wildlife officials have worked aggressively to keep them out of the state."
As the article goes on to say that the inspections at Willard have been going well, However I fear that there are many of the Wildlife and Reasource management guys out not doing there job. LunkerHunter2 and I saw a DNR guy yesterday near the ramp and don't know what he was doing but 1 thing I can tell you is that he wasn't doing his job! Our system can be very fragile and if the correct precausions are not taken, the up and coming fisherman/fisherwoman will be left with nice clean water full of mussels and NO Fish.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

KennyC said:


> As the article goes on to say that the inspections at Willard have been going well, However I fear that there are many of the Wildlife and Reasource management guys out not doing there job.


You are blaming this on the DNR? Are you joking? Shouldn't you be blaming this on some boater who failed to comply with laws trying to avoid this very problem. Aren't boaters supposed to clean, drain, and dry boats before launching them? If boaters would have done this and would always do this, would we have to worry about this problem?

Personally, I think the DNR should now disallow all boaters on to Sand Hollow. Then, start draining the reservoir to the point it is totally dry to try and kill any mussels in the reservoir. Maybe such drastic measures will get boaters to see how serious this issue really is.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

> I saw a DNR guy yesterday near the ramp and don't know what he was doing but 1 thing I can tell you is that he wasn't doing his job!


KennyC...I would like to know just what 'his' job is/was supposed to be...I'm kind of lost on this. :?



> Personally, I think the DNR should now disallow all boaters on to Sand Hollow. Then, start draining the reservoir to the point it is totally dry to try and kill any mussels in the reservoir. Maybe such *drastic* measures will get boaters to see how serious this issue really is.


Drastic ? Heck yeah it is, but I agree !! _If_ Sand Hollow ends up to be the only contaminated lake, lets attack the issue quickly !!


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## STEVO (Sep 13, 2007)

[quote=".45


> Personally, I think the DNR should now disallow all boaters on to Sand Hollow. Then, start draining the reservoir to the point it is totally dry to try and kill any mussels in the reservoir. Maybe such *drastic* measures will get boaters to see how serious this issue really is.


Drastic ? Heck yeah it is, but I agree !! _If_ Sand Hollow ends up to be the only contaminated lake, lets attack the issue quickly !![/quote]

Hell yea, lets drain the beeyatch!!!! Seriously, we can do something like that drastic to one lake, or we can do it to all of our lakes in the future!!!!!


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## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

Sad days for Sand Hollow ahead. Lets hope this doesn't spread like the plague..


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## luv2fsh&hnt (Sep 22, 2007)

Unfortunately Sand Hollow is not the only water in Utah that is infected. According to the DWR website Electric Lake has zebra mussels and Red Fleet has quaga mussels and there are several waters that testing has been inconclusive.

http://wildlife.utah.gov/mussels/waters.php

I started a thread about this yesterday here is a link to that thread.

viewtopic.php?f=45&t=26103#p279554


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

luv2fsh&hnt said:


> Unfortunately Sand Hollow is not the only water in Utah that is infected. According to the DWR website Electric Lake has zebra mussels and Red Fleet has quaga mussels and there are several waters that testing has been inconclusive.
> 
> http://wildlife.utah.gov/mussels/waters.php


Dammit....a few Tribal Water's are still inconclusive...they shut down _all_ their lakes two years ago because of this issue. I hope this doesn't happen again. Might be forced to start golfing more....:?


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

wyoming2utah said:


> Personally, I think the DNR should now disallow all boaters on to Sand Hollow. Then, start draining the reservoir to the point it is totally dry to try and kill any mussels in the reservoir. Maybe such drastic measures will get boaters to see how serious this issue really is.


Much as I'd hate to see it, Sand Hollow is one reservoir where drainage could be feasibly done and the mussels eliminated. Might be worth looking into.

The sad thing though is I fear it is just a matter of time until they show up elsewhere and most lakes cannot be drained in like fashion.


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## Pez Gallo (Dec 27, 2007)

The thing about sand hollow is that it grew some pretty nice fish in a hurry to begin with, and it might be a good idea to drain it, and you should see some nice fish in a hurry. Plus, you have a pretty nice bassin lake right a mile from there, so it wouldn't be a total loss for the locals.

What if quail has them and the invaders came from there? Is that possible?


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## EmptyNet (Mar 17, 2008)

wyoming2utah said:


> Personally, I think the DNR should now disallow all boaters on to Sand Hollow. Then, start draining the reservoir to the point it is totally dry to try and kill any mussels in the reservoir. Maybe such drastic measures will get boaters to see how serious this issue really is.


The DNR did not build Sand Hollow. Do you think the WCWCD would let the DNR drain one of their reservoirs because of the harm the mussels would pose to the fishery? The reason Sand Hollow was built was for water storage and to recharge the aquifer. Its tragic the mussels are there, the real problem is keeping them out of Quail. If Sand Hollow has the quagga then you must think that Quail has them, after all the pipeline runs water to Quail when the need arises.


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

The WCWCD will have more of a problem with the mussels than the fishers will. The bigest thing with these critters is that they clog pipes and other water works like gates and such. It becomes a constant maintenence problem to keep all the water works clear.
it really bums dam workers out when they go to close a valve and the thing is so clogged with mussels that it won't close.
The thing will be that if the WCWCD decides to drain you can bet thet they will not allow boaters back in after it refills. Once they may do, but then they will move into prevention mode. That will most likely be to ban motorboats from the lake or set up a permenant washing Decon. station and it will have a fee, you can bet on that. Maybe go as far as to only allow boats that are stored at the lake to launch there and those boats not be allowed off the property ever.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

EmptyNet said:


> If Sand Hollow has the quagga then you must think that Quail has them, after all the pipeline runs water to Quail when the need arises.


True, but the pipeline hasn't been used to run water between the reservoirs for a couple of years...so, it is very possible that Quail doesn't have them. My bet is that efforts to find mussels and/or keep them out of Quail will be amped up now.


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## EmptyNet (Mar 17, 2008)

Troll how long is it going to take to clog a five foot pipe? How to do you guys know it was a boater that brought the mussel here. I think its totally possible that the microscopic larvae hitched a ride on a duck or maybe a pelican :lol:


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

EmptyNet said:


> Troll how long is it going to take to clog a five foot pipe?


At the rate these things reproduce and multiply, it won't take long at all to clog a pipe.


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

EmptyNet said:


> Troll how long is it going to take to clog a five foot pipe? How to do you guys know it was a boater that brought the mussel here. I think its totally possible that the microscopic larvae hitched a ride on a duck or maybe a pelican :lol:


A 5' pipe will take a while, but the 3" mesh screen at the head of the pipe can be fully clogged in less than 1 year. This is because it will only take 1.5" of growth from each of the 4 directions of the mesh to completely clog the screen. The screen is in place to prevent sticks and other debris from entering the pipe and becoming lodged inside where divers would have to enter the pipe to clean it out.

Possible that a bird transported the larvae, but not probable. The reason it is not likely is that the nearest known infestion of Quaggas is in Lake Mead, south lake Mead at that as the area around Overton is dry.
It would take a bird sevral hours of nonstop flight to get from an infested area of Mead to Sand Hollow. It takes 2 hours by cars traveling 65mph and it would take a bird longer. A bird flying that long would be completely dry upon arrival and the mussel larvae must remain wet in order to survive. The adults can survive longer due to the ability to close up and survive on the water contained inside their shell, That is why the drying periods are less for summer and more in winter. In summer the adults dry out in a matter of days.


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## EmptyNet (Mar 17, 2008)

The adults aren't the ones that hitch a ride to a new place its the larvae. Is Sand Hollow critical habitat for any endangered species? What would you have them drain 51,000 acre feet of water into?


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## Christopher30 (Nov 9, 2007)

somebody help me clarify here, it's my understanding that during the months of june, july, and august if you put your boat in sand hollow and do the decontaminating wash you're not allowed in any other water for 7 days? And also during september, october etc you can't be in the water for 18 days? Did i read the notice correctly?


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## plottrunner (Apr 3, 2008)

wyoming2utah said:


> EmptyNet said:
> 
> 
> > If Sand Hollow has the quagga then you must think that Quail has them, after all the pipeline runs water to Quail when the need arises.
> ...


 :?: :?: :?: :?: Maybe im confused here but isnt the pipeline out quail the only way sandhollow gets water.....Its my understanding that the water goes into quail via the virgin river pump and then is pumped over to sandhollow as a holding pond then as use dictates is returned to quail then run through the purification station on its way to washington county.....correct me if im wrong please...


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Christopher30 said:


> somebody help me clarify here, it's my understanding that during the months of june, july, and august if you put your boat in sand hollow and do the decontaminating wash you're not allowed in any other water for 7 days? And also during september, october etc you can't be in the water for 18 days? Did i read the notice correctly?


If you have the boat decontaminated by a professional/certified company, you are allowed back on the water _without_ the waiting period. Red Fleet and Electric Lake are also included in this program.


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## Christopher30 (Nov 9, 2007)

.45 said:


> Christopher30 said:
> 
> 
> > somebody help me clarify here, it's my understanding that during the months of june, july, and august if you put your boat in sand hollow and do the decontaminating wash you're not allowed in any other water for 7 days? And also during september, october etc you can't be in the water for 18 days? Did i read the notice correctly?
> ...


Good deal i figured my interpretation couldn't be right. With this new mandatory decontamination program does that mean you will no longer be allowed to launch before the park closes then trailer your boat and leave in the middle of the night? Or are they going to have somebody there to do it between the open gate hours? Man i should hire a lawyer to read this for me...


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

> does that mean you will no longer be allowed to launch before the park closes then trailer your boat and leave in the middle of the night?


That's a weird one Chris30....Maybe require the boat to stay until morning? I could only imagine it will be up to the 'higher ups' at each location. :?


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

Christopher30 said:


> With this new mandatory decontamination program does that mean you will no longer be allowed to launch before the park closes then trailer your boat and leave in the middle of the night? Or are they going to have somebody there to do it between the open gate hours? Man i should hire a lawyer to read this for me...


You don't need a lawyer. Just some common sense!

If you take your boat off Sand Hollow and you do NOT have your boat cleaned (no matter what time of day it might be) then you must either wait the mandatory number of days to allow the boat to dry completely, or go back and have your boat cleaned when someone is at the cleaning station.

There is no need to make this hard. It is rather simple. Either don't go to Sand Hollow, or do go to Sand Hollow. If you go, get your boat cleaned. Even if that means going back to the cleaning stations when they are manned.

but, since the State Park has a new rule requiring all boats to be off the lake by 9:00 p.m., it doesn't matter anyway...


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## Christopher30 (Nov 9, 2007)

PBH said:


> but, since the State Park has a new rule requiring all boats to be off the lake by 9:00 p.m., it doesn't matter anyway...


that's the info i was looking for, the boat washing business doesn't bother me. Being kicked off a lake that i fish almost exclusively at night, does bother me. Quail will be next, then Newcastle, then Panguitch and so on. Sad direction, but we all know it's coming.
Alright professor pbh, how deep into the dwr's pockets does this go before they run out of money to try and "stop" the bleeding here? That's a lot of labor sitting at the boat ramp washing boats, at some point you think it would become too costly wouldnt it? Maybe the feds will come to the rescue....


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

How deep into the pockets of the DWR? How 'bout how deep into the pockets of the Washington County residents that depend on that water??

From what I understand, the DWR and the Park Service will be constructing some permanent boat washing stations at Sand Hollow. I would imagine that the cost and maintenance of these stations will simply come from the DWR and State Park budget.

Dedicated Hunters have been a big help with boat washing for the last few weeks, and they have been asked to continue to help. They're free. Other DWR employees manning those stations are pretty much a sunk cost -- we're paying them whether they're at Sand Hollow washing boats, or somewhere else doing other work. Sure, they might be overpaid for their services, but it is worth it at this point.

The real cost is going to be maintaining Sand Hollow's waterworks. That cost is going to have to be paid by the Washington County Water Conservancy District. So, where will that money come from? Sadly, I believe that it will come from the Washington County water users -- residents of Washing County. It's kind of sad. I think that boaters should pay for it. Oh well.

As for Quail, Newcastle, Panguitch....the big concern right now would be Quail, Gunlock, etc. what is WCWCD going to continue to allow? It's their water -- do they want to continue to allow boats on those waters and risk further contamination?

The next thing is what will happen with Newcastle, and Panguitch? How will the water owners of those reservoirs come up with the money to maintain their waterworks if (when) quagga show up in those waters? They certainly cannot raise the same amount of $$$ that WCWCD can raise. What about Otter Creek, Tropic Res, etc., etc., etc....

Anglers and boaters need to think about some of these issues. If we want to continue to put watercraft on these reservoirs, we need to be a little bit more conscious about what kind of critters we're bringing with us. The DWR and State Parks certainly can't keep up with every water craft launching on every piece of water.

Honestly, I think now is the time to figure out how to live and deal with quagga. Certainly, education and prevention are still important.

According to the Columbia Basin Fish & Wildlife News Bulletin: "Congressional researchers have estimated that the "Dreissenid" [quagga] mussel infestations in the Great Lakes area cost the power industry *$3.1 billion* between 1993-1999, with an economic impact to industries, businesses and communities of more than *$5 billion*, according to the recently completed "Quagga-Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters." http://www.cbbulletin.com/383961.aspx

100th Meridian says: "Zebra/Quagga Mussels are biofoulers that occlude pipes in municipal and industrial raw-water systems, requiring *millions of dollars annually* to treat."
http://www.100thmeridian.org/zebras.asp

From the Salt Lake Tribune: "Utah officials have studied the possible impacts and say it would likely cost the state more than $15 million annually to deal with mussel infestations."
http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_15146839

we're talking MILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars.

There are many people that simply don't know much about these invasive species. Many don't understand the efforts that the western U.S. is going to to keep these things out. Unfortunately, there are just so many boaters that are careless. These things will cost all of us a lot of money...

unfortunately for a select few individuals, you might just have to give up your preference of fishing in the middle of the night from your boat at Sand Hollow, as well as possibly more waters in the future. But, who's to blame for that? State Parks? DWR? Or ourselves?


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## EmptyNet (Mar 17, 2008)

You can put the blame on the Great Lake shipping industry. I think as soon as the quagga made it to N. America it was just a matter of time before it got spread around the U.S.
Plottrunner Quail is gravity fed from the diversion dam east of La Verkin. That pipeline is used for Sand Hollow also.


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## BrookTroutKid (Oct 10, 2007)

Oh mussesls are absolutely horrible we went to mead last summer and anything sticking up in the water was covered with mussels three inches thick. They are indestructable to it took me forever to smash some live ones with a rock. They are bad news if they end up like that here in Utah :evil:


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

Does anyone have an update on the status of invasive species at Electric Lake? There was a big concern last year but I have not heard anything lately.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

E Lake is still under investigation, if I remember correctly.
I hope that it turns out to be clean but It doesn't look good right now.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

The difference between Elake and Red Fleet, too, though is that no adult mussels were found at these other two reservoirs. They just tested positive--whatever that means. But, at Sand Hollow, an adult was found...which is much scarier.


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