Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society Tests the Waters in the Sicamous Narrows
Posted On: Jun 04, 2024
Tags: Featured , Home Featured - Secondary , Live Here
On June 4, the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) tested the waters by the Finlayson Boat Launch for any evidence of zebra or quagga invasive mussels.
To collect a sample, CSISS staff conducted a tow with a plankton net. The samples are sent to provincial labs for testing to ensure that our waters stay free of invasive mussels.
The frequency of testing for invasive mussels is decided by the Province of British Columbia. Five sites on Shuswap Lake are tested bi-weekly, while two sites on Mara Lake are tested monthly.
Invasive mussels are a threat to the quality of our drinking water, our infrastructure and the health of our freshwater systems. These aquatic invasive species cause hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damage annually in North America.
Residents and visitors can help protect our lakes from invasive mussels by practicing the "Clean Drain Dry" technique every time they transport their watercrafts or fishing gear. This includes motorized (boats, personal watercrafts) and non-motorized (canoes, kayaks, paddleboards) watercrafts.
The Province of British Columbia also has mandatory watercraft inspection stations along travel routes. If you are transporting a watercraft, be sure to stop for an inspection to help stop the spread of invasive mussels.
On May 17, new provincial "Pull the Plug" legislation was passed. This new legislation requires boat operators in British Columbia to remove the plug and allow the watercraft to drain entirely on dry land before before transporting a vessel or equipment between water bodies.
The Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and managing the spread of invasive species within the Columbia-Shuswap region. Learn more!
More information:
- Clean Drain Dry
- Zebra and Quagga Mussels
- Watercraft Inspection Stations
- Provincial 'Pull the Plug' Legislation
- Don't Move A Mussel
- District of Sicamous: Invasive Species
