Boaters planning to take a trip out to Lake Tahoe this summer will have to go through some extra steps before they launch into the water.
"So what we've done this year is we are trying to strengthen the mandatory watercraft inspections to include a mandatory decontamination as well for any vessels coming from outside the area," said Jeff Cowen, Public Information Officer, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.
There is an inspection fee along with a $30 decontamination fee.
Once you go through that process, you'll get what's called a Tahoe Only wired seal.
As long as your boat just goes to Tahoe, you won't have to go through the process again.
However, you will if your boat dips into other waters.
"If you go to another lake nearby, Boca or Stampede, when you come back into the Basin you'll have to get that inspection or decontamination again," Cowen said.
These rules and regulations are particularly designed for folks coming from out of the Lake Tahoe area.
The agency is doing this to combat a specific aquatic invasive species that's not in the lake right now, but they are keeping their eye on it.
"There is a new invasive species discovered about two and a half hours away from Tahoe, and it's called the Golden Mussel - and its the first time its been discovered in North America," Cowen said. "So, this has the potential to really explode in populations and we know it's already spreading in the Sacramento and San Joaquin delta."
If you need to get an inspection there are a few locations around the basin.
"This summer, we're going to have three regional inspection stations open that are kind of away from the lake to avoid like crowding at the boat ramps," Cowen said. "So, Meyers in California, Spooner Summit in Nevada, and Alpine Meadows in California."
Some other tips the TRPA have for boaters is to make sure you clean, drain, and dry your boats, kayaks, and paddle boards before going into the lake.
Cowen recommends that people make an appointment to go through the process because it could take a while.
If you want to learn more about the inspections check out the Lake Tahoe Invasive Species Program website.
