LAKE COUNTY >>> The Lake County Civil Grand Jury investigated the Quagga and Zebra Invasive Mussel Program finding that precautionary signage is in need of maintenance as well a need to improve their website as to show more transparency in their budget.
After receiving a complaint on Nov. 30 2023 regarding “…a lack of response from the Lake County Board of Supervisors, concerning tax dollars expended on the Quagga Mussel Program” the civil grand jury responded with their review.
According to the CGJ report “The purpose of this program is to prevent the introduction and establishment of invasive mussels in Lake County waterbodies, including Clear Lake, Indian Valley Reservoir, Blue Lakes, Hidden Valley Lake, Highland Springs Reservoir, and Lake Pillsbury.” This responsibility falls on the Lake County Watershed Protection District and their affiliated partners as per state code. The CGJ shared “local codes and ordinances are therefore critically important in establishing local authorities to create prevention groups.” It continues to explain that due to the high numbers of private boat launches around the lake “self-enforcement of preventing the spread of invasive mussel, and other aquatic plants is dependent on responsible boaters following the guidelines.”
Through the request of financial documents from the County of Lake Department of Water Resources as well as “visual observations of highway signs and boat launching facilities” the CGJ found that signage near boat docks and ramps had not been resurfaced and its reflective ability had diminished. The financial documentation they obtained dates from 2021 through 2023, illustrating a mere total of $200 in collected fines for those there years. Despite this small collection the program consistently has positive equity with a revenue of $266,11 in 2021, $77,356 in 2022 and $65410 in 2023. This documentation also shows state and federal grant awards for each year as well as their staffing and other expenditures. The review states “No accounting sheets were found on the DWR web site.”
The CGJ also noted that on most boating days at the municipal boat launch in Lakeport the Quagga Mussel sniffer dogs as well as inspectors were present “even during winter months.”
The CGJ concluded that the program lacked transparency and recommended “That the Department of Water Resources post yearly expenses and expenditures on its website for the Invasive Mussel Program.” They also recommended that the “Department of Water Resources conduct monthly inspections of highway signs for condition, and February nighttime inspection to observe reflectivity, allowing time to repair or maintain signage before boating season starts.”
The CGJ requires a response from Lake County Department of Public Works within 90 days.
