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Ruedi Reservoir boat ramp and mussel inspections start on Monday

Staff report
Ruedi Reservoir boat ramp and mussel inspections try to prevent invasive species from spreading across Colorado.
Courtesy photo

The public boat ramp at Ruedi Reservoir opens at 6 a.m. Monday after a delay caused by the coronavirus crisis.

The inspection and decontamination program designed to keep the reservoir free of invasive mussels also will begin Monday. The ramp is closed to all boat traffic when inspectors are not on-site.

The boat ramp hours will be 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout June; 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. from July 1 through Sept. 7; and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Sept. 8 through Oct. 31, according to a notice from the Ruedi Water and Power Authority.



“All boats entering and leaving the reservoir must be inspected prior to launch and prior to departure in compliance with state regulations,” the notice said.

There is a growing threat of mussel invasion from contaminated sources such as Lake Powell. Inspectors will search for zebra and quagga mussels.




“Six mussel-infested boats were identified and decontaminated through the Ruedi Boat Inspection Program in 2019, the second most found in Colorado, and the most ever intercepted at Ruedi Reservoir, indicating an increasing threat to Colorado waters,” the water and power authority said.

The testing program is sponsored by the Ruedi Water and Power Authority in coordination with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The inspection and decontamination station is operated by Rocky Mountain Recreation Co., under contract to the water and power authority.

Boaters must wear a mask and follow social distancing protocols while at the inspection station.