October 8, 2008

A mandatory boat inspection program is underway at Lake Chabot, Del Valle, Contra Loma, and Quarry Lakes. Wet boats, or boats with wet motors or gear, will be denied launching.

Boat owners should note that several boats fail inspection each day and unfortunately are not allowed to launch. The most common reason for failing is water in the outboard motor. DO NOT FLUSH YOUR MOTOR PRIOR TO VISITING THE PARK. Staff recommends allowing at least a five-day waiting period after flushing your motor to give it plenty of time to dry. Double check before leaving home that the motor is dry, many people are surprised that, when asked to lower their motor, water comes out. By contract, inspectors cannot pass these boats to launch. Water in live wells accounts for the second most common reason for not passing inspection.

Park District-trained staff and/or contract employees will inspect all watercraft, including kayaks, canoes, and float tubes. Fees for inspections at all lakes are $6 per trailered boat and $3 per car for car-top boats. Only boats with electric motors are permitted at Quarry Lakes and Contra Loma; private watercraft may not be launched at Lake Chabot (more boating information). Boats and accessories must be ABSOLUTELY CLEAN AND DRY, which includes motor, deck, hull, bilge and bait wells, ropes, lines, floats, fishing equipment, trailer, rear of vehicle, personal flotation devices, and any other inflatable watercraft. Boats that fail inspection will not be permitted to launch and must wait five days before returning.

A banding program is available to all trailered boats that have passed the inspection. Banded boats with unbroken bands will be able to launch with no inspection or inspection fees at all East Bay Regional Park District lakes. Kayaks, canoes, and rowboats can get a 30-day pass upon inspection. Float tube inspections are free.

The purpose of the boat inspection program is it to look for invasive quagga and zebra mussels, which are spread mainly via boats and trailers originating from infected lakes. Veligers, or microscopic larvae, can be spread from standing water or wet surfaces. The mussels reproduce rapidly and destroy water system components along with changing the natural environment of lakes and rivers. Their presence is often devastating to the plant and fish life in the reservoirs. Zebra mussels have been identified at San Justo Reservoir near Hollister, which is less than 90 miles from East Bay Regional Park District lakes. No mussels have been identified in any East Bay bodies of water at this time.

Alameda County Water District (ACWD) is a partner in this program and is helping fund inspections at Lake Del Valle and Quarry Lakes, two of is four water sources.

The California Department of Fish and Game is the lead agency on these invasive mussels and their status within the State. Visit www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel/ for more information or call their hotline at 1-866-440-9430.