LAKEPORT ? As one of the first counties to approve an encompassing countywide program for mussel prevention, the Lake County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the Invasive Species Council protocol Tuesday.
The board will have to revise to the ordinance concerning non-resident vessels and exempt vessels, so changes may not take place until February. The council and board members aimed to have the program ready Jan. 1.
“There”s never going to be 100 percent to keep invasive species under control,” Lakeport Councilwoman Suzanne Lyons said. However, the county can cut its risk, she said.
Non-resident watercraft owners would be required to get screened once a month to obtain a durable, brightly colored band, such as those used at fairs and concerts, to be attached to the front of the vessel. The resident vessel sticker program will stay the same.
The board addressed mussel prevention and a number of other issues at its meeting Tuesday morning and afternoon in Lakeport at the County Courthouse. Supervisor Rob Brown was absent.
The quagga and zebra mussel prevention program does not change the county ordinance or law, said Greg Giusti, chair of the Invasive Species Council and University of California adviser. Giusti said most mussel prevention programs go by bodies of water or owner and he has not heard of another countywide program that incorporates public, private and government interest the way Lake County”s does.
The protocol requires that vessels be clean, drained and dry in order to launch in Lake County waters, understanding that on a rainy day boats will be wet, Giusti said.
Screening for a non-resident vessel will include a screener walking around the boat to check to see whether the boat is clean, drained and dry. If the watercraft doesn”t pass screening or is from known infested counties or lakes, a certified inspector must inspect the vessel to issue a compliance band. Vessels that aren”t clean, drained and dry will require decontamination and inspection for compliance bands.
“If a non-resident vessel gets screened in January, we”ve essentially given them a pass for 12 months,” Giusti said. “Our intent is to maximize the screening protocol in order to prevent the invasion of invasive species.”
Vessels exempt from screening and inspection sticker and band requirements would include canoes, kayaks, car-top boats, float tubes, rafts, wind surfers and boards and boogey boards. Giusti said those vessels have a low probability of transporting invasive species.
Board members asked that Giusti try to find biodegradable bands so the lake doesn”t get polluted with plastic bands. The board also inquired if two colored bands could be given to boaters, one for the boat and another for the trailer.
The board and Giusti agreed once the protocol is in place, they need to educate the public.
Board members voted unanimously to apply for a California grant to develop an Energy Efficiency and Alternative Energy Financing Program.
Public Works and other representatives told the board the South Main Street and Soda Bay Road Corridor Improvement Project may not have its environmental impact report certified until November, stalling construction.
Board members told Linda Shultz, director of St. Helena Clearlake Hospital Community Services, they would help support a community health needs assessment.
The board unanimously voted to amend fees for dog and cat licensing and services provided by the Lake County Animal Care and Control.
Contact Katy Sweeny at ksweeny@record-bee.com or call her directly at 263-5636, ext. 37.
