MISSOULA — Montana fish and wildlife officials say any boat with a ballast tank that has visited Utah’s Lake Powell within the past month must be quarantined.
The measure is being taken to prevent the spread of invasive mussels that are being found for the first time inside ballast tanks of boats exiting Lake Powell.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials are requiring the boats to flush their ballast systems and be locked to their trailers for seven to 30 days.
FWP’s Tom Woolf says that time will ensure that any mussels are dead.
Lake Powell’s low water level is exposing more mussels that can be scooped into boats.
Utah aquatic invasive species coordinator Nathan Owens tells Montana Public Radio that 80 to 85 boats from Lake Powell have been found to have mussels on them.