Though nature can be very robust in many ways, wildlife ecology can be a surprisingly delicate balance. Released Burmese pythons in Florida have been wreaking havoc on the ecosystem as they climb to the top of their food chain without any natural predators, many invasive animals and plants have radically changed the ecology of Hawaii, and while Utah has had invasive species before, the state now faces the threat of yet another that could drastically change wildlife.

The creature in question is the now infamous Quagga muscle. Originating from the Dnipro River area in Ukraine, the pesky little bivalve has become a major problem in freshwater ecosystems across the United States, particularly the Great Lakes. In recent years, however, they have become a mounting problem in Utah.

While currently localized to Lake Powell, the muscles present a significant threat to Utah in not only local ecology but the local economy as well. Quagga muscles are small enough that they can invade water delivery systems, prompting expensive cleanup and removal, they eat plankton, a main food source for many Utah fish, and they can even damage boat engines as they cling to watercraft. 

Thus far, the best way to combat the threat of Quagga spreading has been extensive inspection and cleaning, and a first-of-its-kind dip tank installed by the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR), and Clean Wake LLC at Lake Powell. This dip tank allows boaters to clean their watercraft off in a safe, efficient, and speedy way, without making DWR employees stand so long in the hot sun cleaning and inspecting every craft that leaves the lake. 

While this has facilitated water recreation across the state, inspections still have the potential to slow boaters down this summer, which is why the DWR has installed another dip tank at Utah Lake and has announced the construction of several more in the near future.

“This new system has been invaluable in our efforts to stop the spread of invasive quagga mussels,” DWR Aquatic Invasive Species Lt. Bruce Johnson said. “It is much faster at decontaminating boats with complex systems and requires less training for our staff. We are so grateful for the ingenuity of Clean Wake LLC, our partnership with various agencies and the legislative funding and support that have made these dip tanks possible. And we are excited to be able to add dip tanks at additional key locations around Utah.”

The new locations announced by the DWR include popular destinations for residents from all over the state, including Sand Hollow State Park, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Pineview Reservoir, and Willard Bay Reservoir. 

“We are thrilled that this system has been proven successful through the initial Lake Powell pilot project that has now been in operation for three boating seasons,” Garrett Atwood, co-founder of Clean Wake LLC said. “We are excited to partner with the DWR to make the dip tank available at additional sites across Utah. We love Lake Powell and are pleased that our system has made it easier for everyone to enjoy this amazing national recreation area by more efficiently preventing the spread of quagga mussels.”

For more information on the dip tanks, and other boating rules and regulations, residents can visit https://wildlife.utah.gov/.