REGULATORY DEVELOPMENTS

June 2008

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Discovery of Quagga Mussels in California Leads to Lake Closure—DFG Implements Detection Workshops

In March, officials at Lake Casitas, one of California’s prime fishing lakes, voted to ban all recreational boating in an effort to prevent a quagga mussel infestation. Officials imposed the ban over angry protests from anglers and local business owners. The closure of Lake Casitas came as evidence mounted that quagga mussels are migrating into California’s water supply system. The mussels, a subset of the invasive zebra mussels that have long plagued eastern states, were discovered by divers while they were inspecting Metropolitan Water District of Southern California facilities. The mussels have also been found in the San Justo Reservoir in San Benito, the Colorado river aqueduct and in several lakes and reservoirs in Riverside and San Diego counties. The quagga discovery has sparked a regulatory controversy, with local water managers claiming that state agencies are moving at a snail’s pace to implement a response plan, while state officials accuse local agencies of over-reacting.