Stateline, NV – Lake Tahoe’s waters will be crowded during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday. Once again, Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency want to remind boaters that a stress-free day on the lake begins by arriving with your boat clean, drained, and dry.
Every motorized watercraft must be inspected prior to launching in Lake Tahoe. These mandatory inspections help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Inspection stations will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, including July 4.
Invasive species like quagga and zebra mussels, if introduced to Lake Tahoe, could have devastating impacts on the lake’s ecosystem as well as damaging recreational facilities and harming the local economy. Watercraft are one of the primary sources for the spread of aquatic invasive plants and animals.
Tahoe RCD has inspected 1,600 boats already this boating season, and inspectors have intercepted 18 watercraft carrying aquatic invasive species. One vessel contained quagga mussels.
“Boaters headed for Lake Tahoe on the Fourth should visit tahoeboatinspections.com to learn how to Clean, Drain, and Dry their boat in preparation for inspection,” said Chris Kilian, aquatic invasive species program manager at the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. “We see most of our season’s boating traffic around Independence Day and hope that boaters are patient. Arriving with your boat clean, drained, and dry means more time on Tahoe’s beautiful blue water, and less time in line.”
Lake Tahoe boating quick tips:
- Visit tahoeboatinspections.com or call 888-824-6267 for inspection station locations, hours of operation, and a list of fees for the 2019 season.
- Weekdays and mornings are typically less crowded at inspection stations. Weekends and holidays are the busiest times.
- Returning boats with a Lake Tahoe wire seal still affixed to the boat and trailer may head directly to a launch ramp to purchase a 2019 Tahoe Only inspection sticker.
- Inspections are free for paddleboarders, kayakers, and other non-motorized watercraft, and are available at all inspection stations.
- Boats with ballast tanks are strongly encouraged to dump their ballast water in the same spot on the lake where the tanks are filled.
- Lake Tahoe has no-wake zones to keep boaters and swimmers safe. Motorized boats must maintain a safe distance from shore and from paddlers, swimmers, and Please stayunder 5 mph when boating within 600 feet of shore, 100 feet of paddlers and swimmers, 200 feet of shoreline structures, and Emerald Bay. For more information, download the new Tahoe Boating app at TahoeBoating.org.
The Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program is implemented by 40 public and private partner organizations, including federal, state, and local jurisdictions, research partners, public utility districts, and private marinas. The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District lead the program through a collaborative framework. The program’s mission is to prevent, detect, and control aquatic invasive species in the Lake Tahoe Region.
The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency leads the cooperative effort to preserve, restore, and enhance the unique natural and human environment of the Lake Tahoe Region, while improving local communities, and people’s interactions with our irreplaceable environment. For additional information, contact Chris Larson, Public Information Officer, at 775-589-5278.
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