Quagga/Zebra Mussel News

The following information is being forwarded on behalf of the California State Parks' Division of Boating and Waterways:

2023 QZ GRANT SOLICITATION NOTICE AND PRESENTATION

A Presentation will be conducted via MS Teams on:

April 13, 2023 10:00 a.m. to noon

The application window is

April 10, 2023 to May 19, 2023

The Solicitation Notice, pre-registration for the On-Line Grant Application (OLGA) system, Guidelines, Presentation materials, and other QZ Grant documents for the 2023 Grant Cycle, are now available on the DBW website: dbw.ca.gov/QZGrant.

Presentation: The Presentation will give an overview of the QZ Grant Program, including eligibility requirements and information related to the utilization of the OLGA system.

RSVP: As a courtesy, please RSVP for the Presentation by April 7, 2023, to QZGrant@parks.ca.gov with the following information:

1. Name of Attendee(s)
2. Agency
3. Phone Number
4. E-mail address
5. Questions (submitting questions in advance is appreciated)

Preparation: Interested applicants should do the following with the information available on our web page:

• Pre-register for OLGA access following the OLGA Step-by-Step Instructions.
  • Review "Application Materials," including the pre-recorded OLGA Instructional Webinar.
  • Access the 2023 Presentation Notice and QZ Grant Presentation slides under "Grant Announcements."

For questions specific to quagga/zebra mussel monitoring, or for prevention planning, contact our sister agency, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, at Invasives@wildlife.ca.gov or (866) 440-9530.

The following information is being forwarded on behalf of the California State Parks' Division of Boating and Waterways:

GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT

California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) will accept applications for the 2023 Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Grant Program: April 10, 2023 - May 19, 2023, subject to available funds.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements:

1. Grant applicant must own/manage any aspect of the water in a reservoir where recreational activities are permitted.
2. The reservoir must be open to the public.
3. 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 2022. Monitoring data can be from surface surveys, artificial substrates, and plankton tows.

Tier 1 Planning and Assessment Grant:

• For preparing or updating a Prevention Plan: Applicants that do not already have a CDFW-accepted prevention plan can apply for a planning and assessment grant in order to develop or update a CDFW-accepted prevention plan for the reservoir.

Tier 2 Implementation Grant:

• For implementing activities in a current Prevention Plan: 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)).

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

A Solicitation Notice including application and Workshop/Webinar information will be sent prior to opening of the grant application window. The Notice will also be posted on DBW's QZ Grant Program website.

On January 6, 2023, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) detected a single quagga mussel veliger using cross-polarized microscopy in a large volume plankton net sample collected at Metropolitan’s Foothill Feeder Pressure Control Structure, which is downstream of Castaic Lake. The veliger was confirmed as a quagga mussel by PCR and DNA sequencing.

Adult quagga mussels were previously detected by the California Department of Water Resources in Castaic Lake in August 2021.

For questions specific to Metropolitan’s facilities and response, please contact Paul Rochelle, Water Quality Section Manager, at (909) 392-5155.

For questions regarding CDFW’s response, please contact CDFW’s hotline at (866) 440-9530.