Lake County approves $25,000 for golden mussel prevention at Clear Lake

The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted to approve up to $25,000 in general-fund support for Golden Mussel prevention activities at Clear Lake, following a presentation from county staff on rising detection risk elsewhere in California and increased inspection needs.

Angela DePalma Dow, invasive species program coordinator for Lake County Water Resources, told the board the county has strengthened its quagga, zebra and golden mussel (QZGM) prevention program and is facing larger inspection and decontamination workloads because of detections in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta and related boat traffic. "They are the reason why we don't have mussels and other invasives in Clear Lake," DePalma Dow said of the ramp monitors who perform boat inspections and decontaminations.

The board’s action provides bridge funding for the remainder of fiscal year 2024–25 to pay for short-term needs including canine detection teams, additional ramp-monitor staffing or contracted staff, and outreach. DePalma Dow said the county has already used District 1 discretionary funds and state and federal grant dollars; the $25,000 is intended to maintain operations while the department pursues larger funding sources.

Why it matters: Golden mussels (genus Limnoperna) were detected in parts of California beginning in October, and state monitoring indicates a growing distribution in the Delta and some downstream movement through water-project…