HELENA – Montana’s wildlife agency says no instances of invasive mussels were found in testing of Montana waterways this year.
Under state policy, Fish, Wildlife and Parks will move to lift restrictions placed on Canyon Ferry Reservoir east of Helena after one suspicious water sample in 2016.
If the restrictions are lifted, officials say the Canyon Ferry certified boater program would end and the reservoir would have a mobile inspection team rather than mandatory decontamination stations.
Tiber Reservoir near Chester had multiple water samples test positive for invasive mussel larvae in 2016, triggering a five-year quarantine. It has had no positive tests in three years but restrictions will remain in place for at least two more years.
Montana’s watercraft inspection stations inspected more than 112,000 watercraft this year and intercepted 16 boats with invasive mussels coming into the state.