zebra and quagga mussel prevention at lake powell · pdf filezebra and quagga mussel...

ZEBRA AND QUAGGA MUSSEL

PREVENTION AT LAKE POWELL

Aquatic Resources Management

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Zebra/Quagga Mussels

• Invasive mussels

from Caspian and

Black Seas

• Discovered in Lake

St. Clair in 1988

• Quickly spread

Zebra Mussel Impacts

• Attach to hard

surfaces

• Form thick mats

• Economic

• Ecological

Ecological Damage

• Encrust and kill bottom critters (clams,

crayfish, ...)

Ecological Damage

• Filter enormous amount of algae

• Accumulate toxins

• Crash Fishery

• Cover beaches with sharp

shells

• Fill air with the stench of

decay

Cost to Recreation

Cost to Recreation

• Encrusts

boats

• Clogs

engines

Cost to Facilities

• Fill intake pipes

Cost to Facilities

• Fill intake pipes

• Clog trash screens

Cost to Facilities

• Fill intake pipes

• Clog trash screens

• Encrust docks, launch

ramps, rocks, and anything else in the

water

Lake Powell

Lake Powell

Predicted to be the first body of

water in the West infested

Utah Aquatic Nuisance Species Action Team (Salt Lake City 1998)

Zebra Mussel Prevention Program

• 1999 – Assessed Risk to Lake Powell– Trailer license plate counts

• 2000 – Began Program– Education and monitoring

– Screening at entrance stations

• Voluntary free decontamination (ARA)

– First Prevention Program in the West

• First routine boat history screening program in the world

• First Decontaminations in the Western US

Prevention Program

• Education

• Interdiction

• Monitoring

• Management

Zebra Mussel Prevention Program

• 1999 – Assessed Risk to Lake Powell– Trailer license plate counts

• 2000 – Began Program– Education and monitoring

– Screening at entrance stations

– Voluntary free decontamination (ARA)

– First Prevention Program in the West

• First routine boat history screening program in the world

• First Decontaminations in the Western US

• 2002 – Program Development– Began outreach to other agencies and NPS units

– Improved monitoring with substrates

– Found first boat with attached mussels

Zebra Mussel Prevention Program

• 2003 – Required decon (regulation)

– Low point in compliance (~45%)

• 2005 – Lake Mead becomes infested

– 42 vessels decontaminated (92% compliance)

• 2006 – 45 vessels decontaminated

• 2007 – Lake Mead infestation Discovered

– Expanded Prevention Program

2007 - Expanded Action Plan

• Vessel Certification Required

– Superintendant’s Compendium

– Enforceable

– Self-cert option (gets to 100%)

Visitor ScreeningGLEN CANYON NRA ZEBRA/QUAGGA MUSSEL PREVENTION PROGRAM

Entrance Station Questions

1. Has your vessel been used anywhere other than Lake Powell in the past 30 days? If No – provide a “MUSSEL FREE” certificate

2. In which state(s) was your vessel used? (circle)

States or Province: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois,

Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,

Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee,

Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Ontario, Quebec

3. State NOT listed – provide a “MUSSEL FREE” certificate.

State listed: 1) R ecord information in the box below and put date on coupon

2) I nform dispatch of visitor name (with visitor present)

3) S upply visitor with prevention packet (coupon, map, and brochures)

4) K now that you saved Lake Powell!

Had a previously issued Mussel Free Certificate ____YES ____NO

Route completed questionnaire to Jesse Granet (x6268) in the Aquatic Resources Branch

Fee Collector: ___________________ Today’s Date: ____________Time_______

Entrance Station: S1 S2 S3 N4 N5 AP1 LR6 BF7 HC9

(Circle one)

Location of Exposure: ________________________________________________

(Enter name of water body in infested state)

Date of Exposure: ___________________ Coupon #: ____________________

Visitor Name: ______________________DL#____________________State_____

Entrance Booth Staff and

Automated Fee Machines

screen visitors with boats

INTERDICTION

Vessel Certification

All boaters must display

certificate in windshield

All high-risk boats must

be decontaminated

Self Certification

Educated visitors are not the problem

It’s easy to stop ANS with time

• Allows compliance when

NPS staff are not

present to screen

• Target visitor before

they arrive at park (Glen

Canyon NRA website

and everywhere!)

• Promotes awareness in

all Lake Powell boaters

• Decontamination option

shown, signed, and

dated

UDWR and NPS Technicians checking lots and ramps

2007 - Expanded Action Plan

• Vessel Certification Required

– Superintendant’s Compendium

– Enforceable

– Self-cert option (gets to 100%)

• Developed Lake Powell Brochure

– Partnered with Honda for printing

– Also used Zap the Zebra (Thanks to UDWR)

• Increased Penalties

– Up to $5,000 and Six Months in Jail

2007 - Expanded Action Plan

• Hired Intern Coordinator

• Decontamination Equipment

– All Marinas (~$700,000)

– Specialized Training

• Inspection/Decon Protocols

• 500 watercraft inspected/decontaminated

• Improved Monitoring with Plankton Samples

– False Positive veliger detection!

– No Evidence of Mussels in Lake Powell

(continued)

WW1

WW2

WW3

WW4

Monitoring Approaches

Monitoring Approaches

2008 • Continued/Refined Expanded Action Plan

– 20 minutes to Inspection site

– Citations issued for no shows and noncertified

• Additional Funding (2009-2011)

• Emergency Funding

– Expanded Entrance Booth Hours/Season

– Employed Ramp Technicians

– Hired Coordinator

• 1200 vessels inspected/decontaminated

High Risk Boats in 2008

2009• Up to 25 devoted rangers on duty

• Restricted launch ramp hours

• Full quarantines implemented

• Other ANS interdicted

• Stopped 11 watercraft with mussels attached

• All vessels screened

• 4500 vessels inspected/decontaminated

• 318 citations

• $2500 fine held up in court

Bullfrog

02-Mar-09

03-Jun-09

21-Jul-09

11-Aug-09

03-Sep-09

15-Oct-09

10-Nov-09*Antelope Point

06-Apr-09

06-May-09

15-Jun-09

29-Jul-09

28-Sep-09

02-Nov-09

03-Nov-09*

Halls Crossing

03-Jun-09

02-Jul-09

27-Jul-09

17-Aug-09

14-Sep-09

15-Oct-09

10-Nov-09

Hite

03-Mar-09

22-Apr-09

25-Jun-09

19-Aug-09

09-Nov-09*

Stateline

06-Apr-09

06-May-09

27-May-09

01-Jun-09

16-Jul-09

14-Aug-09

22-Oct-09

Wahweap

05-Feb-09

06-Apr-09

13-May-09

19-May-09

27-Jul-09

22-Oct-09

Padre

28-Feb-09

Escalante

02-Mar-09

10-Nov-09

* Multiple samples

Good Hope

25-Jun-09

09-Nov-09

57 Samplesonly 5 sub-sampled

over 700 slides

Dreissenids 0

Ostracods 1479

Dam

28-Jan-09

06-Mar-09

09-Mar-09

13-May-09

01-Jun-09

16-Jul-09*

14-Aug-09

28-Sep-09

02-Nov-09

•Automates sample sorting

•Image analysis to target organisms

•Increase sampling capacity 10X

InterdictionAn inter-divisional affair

Law Enforcement: Tickets, Enforcement, Quarantines, Wheel

Boots, Punishments, Restitution

Business Management: Concessioner Negotiations, CUA’s,

SUP’s, Funding

Dispatch: Communication, Documentation

Interpretation: Educating Visitors and Fielding Questions

Facilities: Decon Equipment, Physical Ramp Closures, Signs

Fees: Screening, First Notification to Dispatch

Resources Management: Warning, Monitoring, Expertise

InterdictionA partnership affair

ZM Coordination Mtgs: 20+ partners representing local, state,

and federal businesses and agencies meet once a month.

Arizona – Game and Fish, Department of Transportation

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Bureau of Reclamation – Glen Canyon Dam, SLC, Hoover

City of Page, AZ – Council, Tourism, Camber of Commerce

Salt River Project – Navajo Generating Station

US Coast Guard Auxiliary

Navajo Nation Fish and Game

User and Advocacy Groups

Concessioners: Provide decon and inspection backup. Maintain

decon systems, Assist with monitoring

ARAMARK and ANTELOPE POINT HOLDINGS INC.

22 25 45 45

500

1200

4500

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Year

Hig

h R

isk B

oats

• Generally cannot walk or fly

• Cannot live out of water

• Spread by humans

• Human behavior can be moderated

• Education, Education, Education

AIS are easy?