Stop At Boat Stations To Keep Pests Out

Boat owners, if you’re planning on traveling around Oregon, plan on stopping at a boat inspection station this season.  The Oregon Department of Fish Wildlife is working to keep invasive zebra, quagga and golden mussels out of rivers and lakes. ODFW’s Keith Dehart says these invasive species can cause a lot of damage.

"They can attach to any underwater infrastructure or recreational equipment and plug intake pipes, damage engines, damage our irrigation and waterways," he noted.

Mussels Have Been Discovered In Neighboring States

If they arrive in Oregon, it would be in water inside of a boat.  Dehart said the inspection stations ask where the boat has been and check for water inside.

"If the vessel has unidentifiable water, water that is suspect, it could be carrying these, or adults on the whole, we do a decontamination of the watercraft using a hot water pressure wash."

All boat owners, even kayaks and rafts, are required to stop at the inspection stations.  So far, there have been no detections in Oregon.  Unfortunately, mussels have been found in both Idaho and California.

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