LAKE COUNTY >> Evan as debris clean up continues in the wake of the Sulphur Fire, county officials are taking precautionary measures to ensure crews do not bring Quagga mussels to Clear Lake.
Water Resource Director Phil Moy has been monitoring debris removal since it began. Barges have been brought to the lake and will be used haul lakeside debris to the landfill.
The boats are from out of county and need to be inspected and certified by the Water Resource Department. To do that, the department brought in dogs trained to sniff the boats and detect any presence of invasive mussels.
“This is something that has been going on for a while and it is come out to be very effective,” Moy said.
The two Wardens from Fish and Wildlife, Tim Bolla and Brian Patrick, brought Karma and Luna to detect Quagga mussels on multiple boats. These inspections were made at both Redbud Park in Clearlake and Austin Park.
After the inspection, Marty Jones from the Water Resources Department put the certification sticker on the vessels.
If the dogs had found mussels on the barges, the county would then have taken measures to clean the vessels.
“Power washing boats help remove a lot of the mussels from it, but power washing with hot water can kill them and they drop right off,” Moy said.
To help prevent toxic materials and debris from floating too far into the lake, he had booms placed around the shoreline of Clearlake. A boom is a floating wall that stops floating debris from moving past it.
Also being used to help prevent any materials from spoiling the lake is a Posi-Shell. This is a mixture of clay, cement and water that will hold down debris and prevent it from running off.
“It looks like thick mud,” Moy said.
Taking these precautions is to completely ensure the safety of the community and also keep the lake clear of any future contaminations because it is also a source of drinking water for the county.
“These boat inspections demonstrate to the public that the county takes protecting the lake and water just as seriously as they take the fires,” Moy said.
A video of the dogs inspecting boats can be found here.
