Tahoe boat ramps may be closed when inspectors are not present

Boat owners would have a smaller window of time to launch on Lake Tahoe if the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency approves a proposal this week that would close ramps in the absence of invasive species inspectors.

On Wednesday, the TRPA's Governing Board is scheduled to decide on the new code, which would also require boat owners to get a TRPA-approved boat decontamination if it is deemed necessary by an inspector.

The proposal has raised concerns about limiting boat access during early morning and late evening hours, the cost of inspections, the infrastructure necessary to implement the potential closures, and a loss of revenue from ramp closures.

TRPA staff met with boat ramp operators this month in an attempt to resolve such concerns. A plan for potential closures will be presented at Wednesday's meeting, according to the meeting's agenda.

If the code changes pass, implementation could "occur very quickly," according to a TRPA letter sent to boat ramp operators last month.

"For this reason we need your input and assistance to make certain we have an implementation strategy that is flexible enough to address the needs of the boating community," indicates the letter. "Our focus here is to ensure every boat entering the lake is inspected " NOT to close ramps and limit public access."

Earlier this month, the difficulty of enforcing invasive species inspections was highlighted by an incident at the North Shore where a man launched his ski boat after refusing an inspection.

On the morning of Sept. 1, a man became uncooperative at the Lake Forest Boat Ramp in Tahoe City when an aquatic invasive species inspector attempted to inspect the boat for invasive species, said TRPA spokesman Dennis Oliver.

The TRPA does not have the enforcement capability to stop a boat from entering Lake Tahoe without an inspection, but the agency can impose a $5,000 fine for an illegal launch, Oliver said.

The planning agency sent a letter to the registered owner of the boat " a Davis resident " requesting information and informing him the boat was launched illegally.

Whether the registered owner was the man who launched the boat on Sept. 1 is still unknown, Oliver said.

The letter warned that litigation in federal court is possible because of the incident.

As of Friday a response from the owner of the boat had not been received by the TRPA and the agency was giving the man more time to reply.

During a presentation last month, TRPA Wildlife Program Manager Ted Thayer told the governing board of the need for jurisdictions around the lake to adopt ordinances so local law enforcement can prevent boat owners who refuse an inspection from launching their boats in Lake Tahoe.

Invasive mussels have been found in nearly 20 lakes and reservoirs in California, as well as the Colorado River system, according to the California Department of Boating and Waterways.

Mussels have also been found in Nevada's Lake Mead, Lake Havasu and Lake Mohave.

Lake Tahoe joins five other areas in California with no known population of quagga mussels that have begun restrictions on boats to prevent the spread of invasive mussels.