Quagga mussels found on Tahoe-bound boat

RENO -- A boat headed for Lake Tahoe was found to be encrusted with quagga mussels, an invasive species that wildlife experts say could pose a major environmental threat to the scenic mountain lake on the Nevada-California line.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reported Tuesday that inspectors discovered the mussels attached to a powerboat during a routine inspection over the weekend.

Peter Brumis with the Tahoe Resource Conservation District said the boat looked like it had been encrusted with the mussels at some point. The vessel underwent repeated decontamination procedures before it was released.

The boat reportedly was last used in Lake Mead, which has become infested with the species.

Boat inspections have become mandatory at Lake Tahoe to try to keep the mussels out of the clear waters.

Late last month, state wildlife officials said tests at two other popular reservoirs in Northern Nevada have heightened concerns about the potential for an outbreak.

Multiple samplings confirmed microscopic juvenile quaggas in Lahontan Reservoir southeast of Fernley. Biologists also said Rye Patch Reservoir between Lovelock and Winnemucca was being treated as "suspect" for the presence of the invaders.

Native to Eastern Europe, the mussels can cover beaches with sharp shells, overwhelm a lake's natural ecosystem and cause blooms of noxious algae.

They pose a threat to native plants and animals and can cause millions of dollars in damage to water system infrastructure.

The first outbreak of quagga mussels in Nevada was at Lake Mead in 2007. The mussels attach to boats and trailers and spread when vessels are hauled from one body of water to another.