Quagga/Zebra Mussel News

California Department of Fish and Wildlife is relaying the following information received from the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). CDFW anticipates the following changes to CDFA's Border Protection Stations program operations will impact the interdiction and inspection of overland conveyances that may carry invasive mussels. Questions can be directed to CDFW via Invasives@wildlife.ca.gov or (866) 440-9530 and will be shared with CDFA.

The following information is being forwarded on behalf of the CDFA:

The State of California is currently facing a significant and ongoing budget deficit, and programs across CDFA are being required to implement budget reductions. In accordance with the budget reductions, the Border Protection Stations (BPS) Program will be reducing scheduled staffing levels to the minimum necessary to maintain safe operations for all working shifts, and will be reducing the hours of operation at multiple stations.

The following schedules of operation will be implemented effective April 1, 2025:

• Alturas: Open daylight hours
• Benton: Open daylight hours
• Blythe: Open 24/7
• Dorris: Open 24/7
• Hornbrook: Open 24/7
• Long Valley: Open 24/7
• Meyers: Open 8 hours per day
• Mt. Pass: Open 24/7
• Needles: Open 24/7
• Redwood Highway: Open daylight hours
• Smith River: Open daylight hours
• Topaz: Open 8 hours per day
• Truckee: Open 24/7
• Tulelake: Open daylight hours
• Vidal: Open 24/7
• Winterhaven: Open 24/7

For the stations open during daylight hours, they will be open for two shifts, which may vary seasonally from 14-16 hours.

Additionally, all stations are being instructed to focus on commercial traffic, with a primary focus on the compliance of high-risk agricultural commodities and the Program’s responsibilities for its cooperative agency agreements. Private vehicle inspections will be impacted by the reduced staffing levels, and should continue to be conducted as traffic and/or staffing allows.

And while all stations will continue to be scheduled for operation seven days per week, with the reduced available staffing there may be days where Station Managers will need to close operations for a day to ensure the safety of both program staff and the traveling public.

This message is being forwarded on behalf of California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways:

Save-The-Date Grant Announcement

California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW)

QZ Grant Program has the following announcement:

The application period for the 2025 cycle will open on March 10, 2025 and will close on April 18, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Up to $2M is expected to be awarded, pending available funding. If a reservoir is currently covered by a two-year 2024 QZ Grant, that reservoir will not be considered for a QZ Grant until the 2026 solicitation.

A presentation will be conducted via MS Teams on March 13, 2025; information will be posted on our webpage at: QZGrant@parks.ca.gov. The 2025 QZ grants are expected to begin in August, and will span two years.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

Grant applicant must own/manage any aspect of the water in a reservoir; The reservoir must be open to the public for recreation; and Grant applicant must demonstrate that the reservoir is uninfested with dreissenid mussels

To demonstrate that the reservoir is uninfested, applicants must provide mussel monitoring data collected since March 2024. Monitoring data can be from surface surveys, artificial substrates, and plankton tows.

Tier 2 Implementation Grant:

To be eligible for an implementation grant, applicants must provide a letter from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) at the time of application that states CDFW has reviewed and accepted a prevention plan for the reservoir (per Fish and Game Code Section 2302 and California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 672.1(b)).

Tier 1 Planning and Assessment Grant:

Applicants that do not already have a CDFW-accepted prevention plan can apply for a planning and assessment grant in order to develop a CDFW-accepted prevention plan for the reservoir.

For questions regarding quagga/zebra mussel monitoring, or for prevention planning, including how to obtain a letter from CDFW, contact CDFW at Invasives@wildlife.ca.gov or Telephone: (866) 440-9530.

Additional information will be sent prior to opening of the grant application window. This notice will also be posted on the DBW website.

The 2025 Invasive Mussel Water Agency Summit is intended for water managers in California.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will host a virtual Invasive Mussel Water Agency Summit (Summit) on January 28, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.. The Summit will be hosted online from the Zoom platform and is intended for waterbody managers statewide. Following a 45-minute lunch break, CDFW will hold open “office hours” from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM for more interactive dialogue with water managers.

The purpose of the Summit is to provide an update on the recently discovered golden mussel and to review quagga/zebra mussel prevention and control measures. The information will be relevant to water managers already implementing mussel prevention programs, as well as those interested in developing programs. This is also a networking opportunity to connect with your local CDFW contact, and other water managers in your vicinity, and across the state.

• Agenda (PDF)
• Register for the Webinar

The registration link and agenda will also be posted on the 2025 Invasive Mussel Water Agency Mussel Summit page. For questions regarding the 2025 Invasive Mussel Water Agency Summit, please email Invasives@wildlife.ca.gov.