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Editorial: Water needs trump boats
Mussels threat must be met
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It's understandable that fishermen are dejected over the yearlong closure of the Lake Casitas reservoir to private boats. Nobody likes having a premier recreation area put off-limits.
But, the Casitas Municipal Water District really had no choice but to enact the ban Tuesday to safeguard the drinking-water supply of its 60,000-plus Ventura and Ojai customers from the destructive quagga mussels.
If this tiny aquatic menace finds its way into the storied reservoir, it will create millions of dollars worth of problems for the water district and, eventually, make the lake barren of fish, including the largemouth bass prized by anglers.
So, despite pleas from avid fishermen and business owners, many concerned the ban will have a huge financial impact, the water board voted 3-2 to impose the ban.
Temporarily banning outside boats from the lake will give the water board the time needed to confront the threat before it's too late. Fishing from shore, from rented boats or those permanently stored at the lake is still permitted.
"What we are really grappling with is we want to take a breather and get our ducks in a row," board member Rich Handley told The Star. "We are not going to close you guys (fishermen) out; this is not permanent."
The controversy is likely to migrate to other large recreational lakes. Officials from Cachuma and Castaic lakes are eyeing temporary bans on outside boats. Westlake Lake officials already have. It's a worrisome trend to many.
These closures will surely put the onus on state and federal agencies to step up efforts not only to stop the spread, but to seek effective methods to rid infested waters of the quagga mussels.
It takes just a few quaggas attached to the bottom of a boat for an all-out invasion to begin. Almost impossible to kill, they can reproduce up to 1 million offspring a year. Such numbers could quickly overwhelm the reservoir, clogging water pipes, decreasing flow and costing millions in maintenance.
Additionally, quagga mussels gobble up huge amounts of tiny food particles vital to other marine life, which will dramatically change the ecosystem and, eventually, ruin the lake for fishing. Bass anglers should really be supporting the ban since it will ensure the future of fishing at Lake Casitas.
Quagga mussels were first introduced into this country by ocean-going vessels moving through the Great Lakes in the 1980s. They have now spread west — likely hauled across country by recreational boat owners — through the Colorado River system into other lakes and reservoirs.
Those opposed to the boat bans have suggested defeating the mussels by investing in hot-water cleaning stations to treat outside boats and trailers, and by having them undergo a thorough inspection. That is a costly proposition that is unlikely to be 100 percent effective.
Let's agree a permanent solution to quagga mussels must be found before letting private boats launch at Lake Casitas. The need to protect the reservoir and safeguard the drinking water should not be a matter of debate.
Posted by CloudyDaze on March 9, 2008 at 7:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a no-win situation. Banning boats is the logical thing to do, but then some torqued-off fisherman will deliberately introduce these little monsters into the lake because his party's been rained on.
Posted by harlan on March 9, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"...but then some torqued-off fisherman will deliberately introduce these little monsters into the lake because his party's been rained on."
Which would put him (and any like-minded fishermen) on a par with those jerks who burn homes and car dealerships in the name of environmentalism. Great way to get support for your cause. (And also a great way to wind up in Guantanamo Bay, or some similar place, with no chance in hell of ever getting to talk to a lawyer or to make a phone call to your family.)
If this is what fishermen actually have in mind, then maybe it's time to close California's lakes and water projects off completely and start using them as military and National Guard bases. To protect Lake Casitas from a moronic whining bully armed with a grudge and a psychotically overblown sense of entitlement, Santa Ana Road and Highway 150 could be closed to all but local traffic and no one but nearby residents would be allowed to drive close enough to the lake to even see it. If you lived on 150 or North Santa Ana road you'd have to stop at a checkpoint and show ID every time you came and went from your own property. There would be no more back road to Santa Barbara, and all of that traffic would get pushed onto 33 and 101.
If the authorities ever decide to take seriously all the talk of intentionally introducing the Quagga mussel to the lake, this lake usage situation could get a lot worse than it already is, and once it does get worse, it'll probably never get better again.
Water shows all signs of becoming far more valuable than oil, and I don't doubt for a moment that the government will be willing to take some rather radical steps to protect it. The price of protecting the water will be written into the cost of the water. Think water got expensive this year? Just wait, and just keep spreading the "intentional contamination" meme.
Posted by lkn4fish on March 9, 2008 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Relax Harlan, Cloudy Daze is just stirring the pot, He/She also stated "Banning boats is the logical thing to do" Most fisherman would never consider doing that, in fact most fishermen have been focused on new solutions (hull steaming, gps tracking systems,etc..)
Posted by harlan on March 9, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"in fact most fishermen have been focused on new solutions (hull steaming, gps tracking systems,etc..)"
Funny that I never read about any of that here in the comments. I just keep reading, over and over again, that somebody just might put some Quagga mussels in the lake and then take their ball and go home.
If fishermen actually have better ideas than destroying the lake out of frustration and anger, then maybe they need to talk about those ideas here and give the other thing a rest.
A lot of people use that lake. All other user groups combined outnumber the bass fishermen, and all you have to do is cruise by on any weekend or summer day if you want proof of that. If threats from bass fishermen wind up making the Board worried enough to further restrict access to the lake, the fishermen aren't going to have too many friends and defenders amongst the rest of the lake users. As it stands, you do right now. Why not keep it that way?
Posted by CloudyDaze on March 9, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, didn't mean to stir the pot, but it is what it is. Banning boats is what will be done because it is the cheapest and most efficient way to prevent (or at least minimize) introduction. All other methods are unfunded and untested and although might be helpful in the future, won't help now. As far as my previous comments regarding "some torqued-off fisherman..." with human nature what it is and the stupidity of some people, why is this surprising or alarming? I can't imagine it not happening.
Posted by lkn4fish on March 9, 2008 at 12:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Harlan, I agree with you that a lot of info. gets left out of the article, and I've seen some very misinformed comments, but don't assume all fishermen are out to sabotage the lake because someone posts a comment about dumping mussels in the lake. Some of the more stupid comments came from so-called "water skiers",I think I remember reading something like "who cares about Casitas, you can't ski on it anyway". But in reality they should care because their "favorite" ski lake may be next to close. I know 99% of water skiers probably have the same opinion as the fishermen. (We are all in this together!)
Posted by harlan on March 9, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OK. Peace. I've just gotten pretty tired of seeing those comments about contaminating the lake intentionally. It's a mindset that could wind up hurting us all.
I like seeing fishermen/women on the lake. It's a good and peaceful use of the place, and I've always counted on having the people who love the place -- like the people who fish there -- work hard to protect it. I hope they continue to do so.
Posted by harlan on March 9, 2008 at 12:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OK. Peace. I've just gotten pretty tired of seeing those comments about contaminating the lake intentionally. It's a mindset that could wind up hurting us all.
I like seeing fishermen/women on the lake. It's a good and peaceful use of the place, and I've always counted on having the people who love the place -- like the people who fish there -- work hard to protect it. I hope they continue to do so.
Posted by Jacksprat on March 9, 2008 at 1:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a simple question do yu want a lake where yu can fish in water ski, and other things for as long as you can. Then for now you have to put up with a little bit of problem, no out side boats. Go on line and find out how this little thing has done so much damage to places all over the country, where there are no longer fish to fish.
Also remember that the water you drink come from there and if these things get in the lake it will cost much money to just try to control it and that in turn will make you water bill go UP and UP.
So be a good citizen and do your part and keep the lake clean.
Posted by dcsfancy on March 9, 2008 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The boat ban is already backfiring on the board. They thought if they closed the lake that the state would step in and give them money for a new boat decontamination unit. It is not working the dept of fish and game will not return any phone calls. Anyway was told today by one of the workers at the front gate of lake casitas that a meeting is being set up this wed the 12th to talk about setting up more storage space for boats. Also note that a lot of camp sites were vacant this weekend.
Posted by jeff93024 on March 9, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Believe me when I tell you that you can't believe everything you hear at the Casitas front gate, especially if you're hearing it from one person in particular. I won't mention his name here, but based on some of the things I've heard him say he wouldn't have a job at the lake if I were on the board.
I was at the lake this weekend, and they looked as if they were doing OK.
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