Idaho and Utah join forces to fight invasive aquatic species

Utah and Idaho have announced a cooperative agreement to enhance aquatic invasive species prevention efforts in the Bear Lake area. The Idaho Department of Agriculture (ISDA), the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and the Bear Lake Regional Commission want to prevent the spread of Quagga and zebra mussels. The agreement calls for $135,000 in additional funding for watercraft inspection efforts by the State of Utah at Bear Lake. It enhances the Idaho Department of Agriculture’s longstanding efforts to prevent invasive species from entering Idaho. “Bear Lake is an important and significant regional resource and recreational area. Prevention efforts in Idaho and Utah ensure protection of this playground that is also an important resource for habitat, irrigation and power production,” said Bear Lake Regional Commission Chairman Vaughan Rasmussen. “We’re committed to working collaboratively across state boundaries to improve the natural resource that is Bear Lake. This agreement made perfect sense to protect Bear Lake from invasive species.” The Bear Lake Regional Commission was established in 1973 to focus on cooperative efforts to improve environmental protection, emergency services, and regional planning. The new agreement should resolve jurisdictional concerns for the water body, which is located on the state line between Idaho and Utah. ISDA has operated a watercraft inspection station since 2009. It will now close as efforts focus on two Utah stations at Garden City and Laketown. ISDA Director Celia Gould said the new agreement would eliminate duplicating inspection stations. “This kind of interstate agreement is unique and consistent with the philosophy we’ve always had for this program,” said Gould. “Focus resources in the field where they can do the most good. We have also expanded our inspection efforts with new stations, enhanced hours, and an increased law enforcement presence at ISDA’s stations statewide.” The State of Utah inspected over 13,750 boats in 2016 at its two Bear Lake inspection stations. Over 410 hot water decontaminations were completed at Bear Lake on boats coming from mussel-infested waterbodies elsewhere. Statewide, Utah inspected over 151,000 watercraft in 2016. ISDA’s aquatic invasive species program inspected nearly 90,000 watercraft in 2016, for a total exceeding 450,000 inspections since its program’s inception. ISDA found 19 watercraft carrying Quagga or zebra mussels in 2016, one of which was carrying viable–or live–mussels. Additionally, the program monitors waterbodies around the state and pulls more than 800 surveillance samples from Idaho waterbodies each year, all of which have been negative for mussels.