LAKE TAHOE

Lake Tahoe watercraft inspectors stopped golden mussels from entering Lake Tahoe earlier this week during an aquatic invasive species inspection at the station in Meyers. This is the second vessel intercepted with the highly invasive mollusk onboard since the species was detected for the first time in North America in 2024 in California’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD), which have managed the Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program since 2008, say that vigilance must remain high to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species in the Lake Tahoe Region. Boaters, paddlers, beachgoers, and anglers can help protect the lake they enjoy by ensuring boats and gear are Clean, Drained, and Dry when moving from one body of water to another.

Inspectors spotted the four possibly live golden mussels on a vessel arriving from the Sacramento area where the invasive species has spread since its detection near the Port of Stockton. Stronger protections at Lake Tahoe since the discovery are working, according to the agencies.

~ Tahoe Regional Planning Agency press release