TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A streak of spring-like weather has urged many people to get outside. For a lot of people, paddling or boating on the Snake River near Twin Falls is the perfect sunny day recipe. After detecting invasive quagga mussels last fall, boat inspections and decontamination are now required for all craft entering and exiting the water.
A $6.6 million appropriation to bolster the Idaho State Department of Agriculture-led response to the invasive species is on Gov. Little's desk awaiting a signature.
- S1372 is the appropriations bill for the Idaho State Department of Agriculture, and it contains $6.6 million for quagga mussel monitoring and eradication.
- the bill has passed both the Idaho State House and Senate and is awaiting the signature of Gov. Little.
- ISDA expects to increase its invasive species programs to enhance monitoring, detection, and decontamination on the Snake River and water bodies state-wide.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"I work in Twin Falls, it's convenient to come down here.” That’s Dave Wright.
He paddles this section of the Snake River so often, he's practically on a first-name basis with the decontamination station techs taking action against the invasive quagga mussels first detected in October 2023.
While this is the first time for Idaho to see these hot wash stations, it's already standard practice for boaters in other western states.
"Yeah it's a little inconvenient I mean you know can't really get around that,” Dave told Idaho News 6. “But the alternative is to have Idaho's waterways completely stocked with undesirable and invasive species so it's a little inconvenience for us but, big deal, let’s take care of it."
Boat decontamination like this will be a fixture on the mid-Snake and elsewhere in Idaho for a while.
"We already had a fairly aggressive program," ISDA Deputy Director Lloyd Knight told Idaho News 6.
Thanks to a $6.6 million dollar line item in the appropriations bill, ISDA will be able to ramp up efforts to monitor and eradicate quagga on the mid-Snake, and prevent future infestations.
"Certainly this funding gives us additional tools that we need to do what we think we need to do in the midst to prevent spread to do further monitoring to ensure boats are clean, going in and out of the mid snake,” Knight said.
They're still figuring out the details but ISDA has worked all winter to develop a plan to increase their presence statewide.
With warm spring-like conditions upon us, those out on the water — like Dave — say the efforts are well worth it.
"We want to protect our river. I kind of consider it my river,” Dave said. “I'm down here a lot. I love the river and I want to make sure it's in good shape.”
