Tahoe Planning agency to increase mussel inspections

KINGS BEACH, Calif. - While almost 6,300 vessels have been inspected for invasive species before launching into Lake Tahoe since May 1, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is looking at more ways to keep the lake safe.

"I believe the system we have now is extremely effective but does not achieve 100 percent capture of every kind of boat," said TRPA Executive Director Joanne Marchetta. "I think we need to be much more aggressive about focusing on these entryway inspection stations."

Monitoring the seven road entries into the basin to tighten Tahoe's safety net is one method the TRPA Board Governing Board discussed at its Wednesday meeting in Kings Beach.

Banning boats from outside the basin was another. It's an idea that Ted Thayer, TRPA's aquatic invasive species program leader, said would be very difficult to implement and would not be the most effective way to keep Tahoe safe, as it likely would increase the use of informal launches.

The governing board did not take to discussing the issue further, instead focusing on the idea of setting up check stations at each of Tahoe's seven entries, rather than inspecting boats at lake-wide launch sites.

A program like that could cost $16 million, Thayer and Marchetta said, and would take heavy cooperation between multiple local, state and federal agencies.

"It definitely will cost quite a bit, but I am of the opinion that if we had the support of this board, we could move rather quickly," Thayer said.

Many of the board members enthusiastically supported the idea of moving the inspection stations to the roadways, saying it would increase the capture rate and eliminate the waits at boat launches.

"We put a man on the moon in less than 10 years in the '60s," said Nancy McDermid, Douglas County Commissioner. "What we're doing is effective, but it's porous. It only takes on slipping through to have an impact we don't want on the lake. I think our only hope is that there is research and development going on how to eradicate them where they have already been."

The board did not take any action on this item, but stressed the importance of inspection stations to the staff.

"I don't know that we're asking for an answer today," said Allen Biaggi, board chair said. "I think you're hearing from the board a sense of frustration because we want to be so careful that nothing slips through the cracks."

For more comments from the board visit tahoebonan

za.com/trpajuly.