Colorado Parks and Wildlife workers have a brand new plan to eradicate invasive zebra mussels from Highline Lake — a reservoir north of Loma, close to Utah – one yr after the primary grownup mussel was discovered there.
The primary part will begin this yr and the second half will happen step by step all through 2024, Colorado Parks and Wildlife workers mentioned in a press release Thursday.
Throughout the first part, Parks and Wildlife workers will apply the next focus of EarthTec QZ, the identical copper-based molluscicide that was utilized to the lake in March. The chemical ought to assist to suppress the mussel inhabitants and stunt their reproductive skill in 2024.
“We didn’t make this choice flippantly or in haste,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife Invasive Species Program Supervisor Robert Walters mentioned. “Over the previous yr we’ve had quite a few discussions with CPW’s Northwest Area aquatic, regional, and state park workers and we’ve provide you with a plan that builds upon that work that was carried out final spring.”
In early 2024, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers will start reducing Highline Lake with the aim of emptying it by the top of the yr.
Consequently, the lake might be closed to motorized boating and will reopen a while in 2025, mentioned Rachael Gonzales, northwest area public info officer for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
This yr through the boating season, from April 20 to Sept. 30, Gonzales mentioned 2,776 motorized boats traveled on Highline Lake.
The company is dedicated to rebuilding the Highline Lake fishery as soon as the zebra mussel eradication mission is full, mentioned Ben Felt, northwest area senior aquatic biologist for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Alan Martinez, Highline Lake state park supervisor, is aware of it’s not superb for many who frequent the lake.
“What we hope is that folks see this and perceive how severe this drawback is, and that it may be prevented by merely cleansing, draining, and drying your boat or any gear that is available in contact with the water in between every use,” he mentioned.
Kayaks and paddleboards might be allowed on Highline Lake, a preferred vacation spot for a lot of outside recreationists, however these can even assist zebra mussels transfer across the lake. Parks and Wildlife workers need individuals to wash, drain and dry kayaks and paddleboards.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers are usually not in a position to transfer fish out of Highline Lake earlier than draining the water as a result of there’s a threat of transferring round invasive mussels latched onto or inside different fish.
The one choice, officers mentioned, is to cut back fish loss by eradicating bag and possession limits till additional discover.
An emergency fish salvage is in place on the lake, Colorado Parks and Wildlife workers introduced final week, that means anglers can preserve all of the fish they catch from the shoreline so long as they’re fishing legally.
“We’re making an attempt to offer anglers a possibility to place the fish to good use,” Gonzales mentioned final week.
The first grownup zebra mussel was discovered within the reservoir on Sept. 14, 2022, whereas Colorado Parks and Wildlife workers had been routinely testing for aquatic nuisance species within the lake. Parks officers discovered virtually a dozen extra mussels there the subsequent month.
5 extra grownup zebra mussels had been discovered Oct. 1 on the underside of buoys.
The invention was troubling, although not stunning. Parks and Wildlife workers have been working for 15 years to maintain the state freed from the nuisance species, which may trigger thousands and thousands of {dollars} of harm to water distribution techniques.
The infestation might result in thousands and thousands of {dollars} in harm to water-based infrastructure, and might threaten water high quality and restrict leisure alternative, Roberts mentioned final yr after the primary few mussels had been discovered.
A single mussel can produce as much as 1 million infants a yr, can stay exterior of water for 27 days and might cross virtually a liter of water by their shells every day, consuming vitamins wanted by different fish and vegetation, Roberts mentioned.
“Whereas the efforts in early 2023 didn’t obtain our final aim of eradicating zebra mussels, we consider it helped to maintain inhabitants numbers at a manageable degree,” he mentioned.
Parks and Wildlife workers are hoping to reopen the lake through the 2025 boating season. “And that is perhaps after we see important discount,” Gonzales mentioned. “It can in all probability be a yr.”
