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<br />Water Supply Reserve Account - Grant Application Form <br />Fonn Revised May 2007 <br /> <br />I. Task 1 - Insoections and Decontamination <br /> <br />Description: <br />Based on best practices from other states, requiring water users to drain all water when leaving reservoirs, and <br />putting in place inspections and decontamination equipment is critical. Zebra mussels can be transported via boat <br />hulls, or in bilge water or live bait wells. Enough is known about zebra mussels that inspections and <br />decontamination is not necessary for all watercraft, but only higher risk vessels and not for the whole year. <br />Other states have developed clear protocols and research has been conducted to clearly identify the risks. Based <br />on this information this project would put in place rigorous procedures at Lake Pueblo to minimize the risk of <br />spreading zebra mussels. To implement this certain capital equipment is necessary such as portable boat washing <br />units for decontamination of infested boats, lights for night-time inspections, signage and barriers to direct and <br />control traffic, and radios to coordinate law enforcement. To address the increased workload, State Parks will <br />need additional temporary staff at the reservoir, as well as assistance with operating costs for the time period from <br />April 1, 2008 to June 30, 2008. Other funding sources are being sought to cover the following fiscal year from <br />July 1,2008 to June 30, 2009. This first time period is critical however to ensure that zebra mussels are not <br />spread, and this funding source is critical because of the short timeline. <br /> <br />Methods: <br />A key element to containment ofthe mussels is making sure that boats coming out of the reservoir do not leave <br />with zebra mussels attached. Based on the protocols developed at Lake Mead and with refinements based on <br />other states information, public handouts have been developed and policies have been altered to increase control <br />of vessel launching. Seasonal stafflocated on the boat ramps will date and time stamp boats before they launch. <br />All boats leaving the marina will be intercepted by additional seasonal staff at an inspection point and will be <br />required to be drained and inspected, and all boats pulling out of the boat ramps will be required to be drained. <br />Because this will be a new set of policies at this park, and there are likely to be times when inspections create <br />lines or waiting periods, the seasonals will be a combination of commissioned and non-commissioned officers to <br />deal with law enforcement issues. <br /> <br />Larger vessels that have been on the reservoir longer will be identified as higher risk vessels and will be inspected <br />and if any mussels or suspicious matter is found, then the boats will be decontaminated with a portable hot water <br />boat wash unit. All 6 portable boat wash units will be located at Lake Pueblo, but boat wash units may be moved <br />between parks this summer or next summer to address needs based on the number of decontaminations required <br />at each park. Additional seasonal staff will also be needed at Lake Pueblo Park entrances to help with public <br />education and other park requirements concerning zebra mussels. Seasonal staff will also assist with checking <br />substrate samples placed around reservoir to check for juvenile and adult attachment and assess population <br />distribution. <br /> <br />Deliverables/produ cts: <br />A report on the capital equipment acquired, the staff hired and the numbers of boats inspected and decontaminated <br />will be created after June 30, 2008. <br /> <br />18 <br />