<\/p>\n
Narraguinnep Reservoir has been closed to all boating to avoid an invasive mussel contamination, according to lake managers.<\/p>\n
The permanent boating ban went into effect Tuesday, said Brandon Johnson, general manager of the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Co., which owns the reservoir.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can\u2019t afford to get the mussel in there because of the damage they cause to our infrastructure,\u201d he said. \u201cWe had to take drastic action against this threat because we\u2019re in the irrigation business, not the recreation business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mussels from infected lakes, including Lake Powell, can travel in standing water of boats and contaminate other lakes clogging pipes, valves and canals.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they get in there, we can\u2019t deliver water to our stockholders, costs will increase to mitigate them, and they will get into side rolls and pipes,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n
The Narraguinnep ban is for all boats, motorized and non-motorized, and includes jet skis, fishing boats, row boats, kayaks and canoes. Colorado Parks and Wildlife would enforce the ban and issue tickets.<\/p>\n
Whether paddle boards and windsurfing would be allowed is not clear.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe board decided on a boating ban,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cWhether those two are boats is up to the enforcement agencies.\u201d<\/p>\n
MVIC also owns Groundhog Reservoir and is evaluating whether it will close that lake to boating, Johnson said.<\/p>\n
Boating could possibly continue at Narraguinnep if there were a boat inspection program, he said, but the irrigation company cannot afford it.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecreation is the responsibility of Colorado Parks and Wildlife,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n
Parks and Wildlife operates local boat inspection programs, including for McPhee Reservoir, to check for the mussel and decontaminate boats.<\/p>\n
But CPW spokesman Joe Lewandowski said the agency does not have the funding to add more boat inspection programs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re scrambling for funding for the lakes where we do have inspection stations. They are costly to operate,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Narraguinnep Reservoir is a state wildlife area. Fishing from the public shores and hiking and swimming will be allowed.<\/p>\n
David Smith, of McPhee Boat Rentals in Dolores, said the ban will hurt the local economy and put pressure on other lakes.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey will all go to McPhee now, and that ramp is already overloaded,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat\u2019s next, closing Summit, Puett, Jackson, all the lakes in Colorado? The taxpayer deserves better. The government does not really care about our small businesses, and this is further proof.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s disappointing they could not come up with a compromise allowing for canoes and rowboats,\u201d said fisherman Brad Whitman. \u201cPeople are upset about it, and hopefully a solution can be found. At one point, the state was considering a boat inspection station there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Narraguinnep has been a fishing spot since it was built the early 1900s. The warm water lake is known for its sport fish, including walleye and pike, and is popular with jet skiers and water skiers because of its warmer waters.<\/p>\n
McPhee Reservoir is also restricting access to the lake beginning this year to prevent a mussel contamination. Boat ramps at McPhee and House Creek will be gated, and trailered boats can only launch when boat inspection stations are open.<\/p>\n
The McPhee boating restriction does not include hand-launched, non-motorized boats such as canoes, kayaks, rafts, windsurfers and paddle boards. Non-motorized, hand-launched boats are free to launch anytime from anywhere on McPhee. However, all boat owners should make sure to clean, drain and dry all boats before and after entering any water way to avoid invasive species contamination.<\/p>\n