August 9, 2009 - Antero Reservoir’s north boat ramp will be closed for the rest of the boating season beginning Monday, Aug. 10. The closure is a cost-saving measure that occurred because of a drop in boating use. The south boat ramp will remain open seven days a week.
Boating hours are from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset; all boats must be removed from the water at night due to zebra and quagga mussel concerns.
All trailered boats will be subject to mandatory aquatic nuisance species inspections provided by the Colorado Division of Wildlife in cooperation with Denver Water.
Denver Water takes the threat of aquatic nuisance species, like zebra and quagga mussels, very seriously. The mussels pose a high threat of spreading to other reservoirs and waterways throughout the state. The primary threat in Colorado is mussel movement through recreational boating, as the mussels can easily “hitchhike” by attaching themselves to boat hulls, trailers and aquatic plants.
Invasive mussels can clog pipes, valves, gates and any water-related equipment or surface. They can ruin boats by jamming equipment and causing motor damage, and they destroy fisheries by consuming nutrients and wrecking the food chain.
Boat inspections are needed to maintain the integrity of the state’s boating and fishing communities, as well as its water quality.
To shorten inspection times, boaters are asked to make sure that boats and trailers are cleaned, drained and dried after every use. This procedure will dramatically lessen the chance of mussels spreading in Colorado.
You can learn more about zebra and quagga mussels at www.100thmeridian.org.