With the threat of harmful mussels sneaking into Santa Clara County's reservoirs, county and water district officials have devised two solutions: either ban boating in the reservoirs or launch a $700,000 initiative to inspect each craft that sets afloat on reservoir waters.
Earlier this year, the pests were first discovered in California in Hollister's San Justo Reservoir.
"It's only a matter of time before they spread," said Susan Siravo, spokeswoman for the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
Originally from Eastern Europe, Quagga and Zebra mussels migrated on the hulls of ships and arrived in the States in the 1980s. Not only do they diminish water quality with a pungent odor, they ruin the infrastructure of the waterways and clog the line, Siravo said. They have disrupted waterways all over the country, namely the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River system.
Scientists predict the mussels will continue to spread to more rivers by means of ships and pleasure craft. The tiny mollusks are usually the size of a fingernail.
The county and water district plan to nip the problem in the bud before it starts. The problem is, who will pay? While the water district supports the inspection process, it believes the county is responsible for funding the program, Siravo said. Otherwise, the district can simply ban boating. The possibility of banning boating until the county can implement the program is an item on the water board's next agenda.
"We definitely agree that an inspection program is needed," Siravo said. "Zebra and Quagga mussels are transferred from boat to boat in reservoirs. As far as we know, none of those mussels are in our reservoirs. We want it to stay that way."
The county supports the $700,000 inspection plan but is looking to the district to provide the funds.
"The appropriate move to address the spread of Quagga and Zebra mussels is to immediately begin inspecting all boats launching in local reservoirs, and to continue permitting active recreation," said County Executive Pete Kutras. "The water district has ample funds to pay for the cost of an inspection program that will not disrupt recreational boating for county residents, especially since we are proposing a small fee to help defray the cost. It is not necessary to ban recreational boating."
Chris Yacenda, a Gilroy resident who frequents Anderson Lake, wasn't excited at the prospect of paying $7 for an inspection - he already pays at least that much to get his boat in the water. But he'd much rather pay the fee than not be able to boat, he said.
"We don't want that infesting our water," he said of the mussels. "It's a good idea, a good concern. I guess I don't mind (the fee)."
Yacenda said he prefers Anderson Lake to distant waterways because of the rising price of gas.
Kutras said that since the district collects property taxes countywide, they have just as much an obligation as the county to facilitate recreation.
"They are considering taking the easy way out and closing them," Kutras said. "That doesn't make any sense to say that recreational activities close to home are closed when gas prices are as high as they are. Don't punish our recreational boating community by closing the reservoirs.
To facilitate recreation, the county proposes a seven day a week inspection program at power boating reservoirs: Anderson Lake, Calero Reservoir and Coyote Lake. Non-power boating reservoirs will be closed with the exception of Stevens Creek Reservoir. Out of state boaters and boats registered in San Benito County and all counties south of the Tehachapi Mountains will be banned, according to the county's proposal.
"It would be a nightmare," Doug Cask of Salinas said of the possibility of officials trying to inspect every boat before it went into the water on a busy summer weekend. "But if they have to do it, they have to."
Sara Suddes Sara Suddes is the education reporter for South Valley Newspapers. Send her an email or (408) 847-7158.
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