Earlier this year, EBMUD closed boat access to the Pardee and Camanche reservoirs, both located in the Sierra foothills, until further notice.
"So, we've had a couple of boats, but this one's brand new. And now it's stuck in the shop, can't use it," said Ryan Pennelly, as he showed off his trailered 22' ski and wake surfing boat.
And it's not just boats that are included in EBMUD's ban. Any kind of watercraft, including kayaks, paddleboards, and even inner tubes are prohibited from their lakes — Life vests are not included in the ban.
The closures come after the golden mussel was found in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, marking the first time the mussels have been found in North America. Since then, it has been found in waterways in and around the Delta and has sent shock waves through water agencies like EBMUD.
"They can breed about four or five times a year, and each time they breed, it's like a million babies, or something like that," he said. "And these new ones are so dangerous because the calcium level in the water can be really low for them to survive. And the oxygen doesn't have to be very high for them to survive either. So, they can survive basically anywhere, they can do brackish, salt water, fresh water."
But EBMUD isn't taking any chances. The primary purpose of their reservoirs is as a water supply, and they aren't going to jeopardize their infrastructure in the name of recreation. It's a bitter pill for Pennelly, who, like all boat owners, pays the state a yearly fee for mussel inspections of their watercraft.
EBMUD says the closure will allow time for it to study how to prevent and respond to the golden mussel infestation. It says that while quarantines and decontamination stations help reduce the risk of spread, the risk still remains.
And the ban doesn't include boats with a permanent slip for Camanche that were in the water or in onsite storage when the boat closures went in place in November 2024. That decision makes Ryan Pennelly's dad, Paul, one of the lucky ones.
Because of that, he is one of about 200 private boat owners who can continue to use the lake as long as he never takes it out of the water. For at least the rest of the year, and who knows how long after that, it will feel like he has the lake all to himself.
So far, no golden mussels have been found in any of EBMUD's reservoirs. And it looks like they intend to keep it that way for as long as possible.
A boating ban is being implemented at Folsom Lake in an effort to stop the spread of golden mussels.
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