New vessel inspection and quarantine rules aimed at preventing the spread of invasive mussels will take effect June 15 at all Santa Clara County reservoirs open to recreational boating, county officials announced.
Under the updated program, boats will no longer be able to use inspection bands interchangeably between reservoirs, county officials said in a press release. A vessel receiving an exit band at one reservoir, such as Coyote Lake, may only return to that same reservoir without additional requirements.
The new rules allow only vessels registered in Santa Clara County to launch immediately after passing inspection. Boats registered in other approved California counties must complete a 30-day quarantine before launching. Santa Clara County-registered boats that have been launched outside the county also must undergo the quarantine process, officials said.
Nonpowered vessels, including kayaks and canoes, are exempt from the quarantine requirement but will continue to be inspected unless they have a valid band.
Inspection bands are color-coded zip ties that connect a boat to its trailer after passing an invasive-species inspection. The bands help officials verify that a vessel has not been launched elsewhere before returning to a county reservoir. Broken or missing bands may require a new inspection and quarantine period.
Under the new rules, bands issued by county parks will differentiate between exit inspections and quarantines, the press release says.
County officials said boaters seeking to return to the same reservoir should request an exit inspection, while those planning to launch at a different reservoir should request a 30-day quarantine band. Existing bands issued before June 15 will remain valid.
Boats registered in counties where invasive mussels pose a greater threat remain prohibited from launching in Santa Clara County reservoirs, county officials said. Those counties include Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura, as well as all out-of-state registrations.
The stricter measures come as agencies work to prevent the spread of invasive mussels, including the golden mussel, first detected in North America in 2024 in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and O’Neill Forebay. County Parks and Valley Water have operated mandatory boat inspections since 2008, following the discovery of zebra mussels in San Justo Reservoir. Officials said the new requirements aim to protect local waterways and water infrastructure from future infestations.
