How to Protect Lake Tahoe and Your Paddle Gear

Inflatable paddleboards (i-SUPs) are easy to carry and help us access the lake without a car.  Unfortunately, i-SUPs are hard to dry and are a great hide-out for harmful aquatic invasive species (AIS) like weeds, clams and mudsnails that we can unintentionally spread.  Any water sucked inside or left in the folds of a rolled up I-SUP can carry AIS and cause mold that corrodes the material and weaken the seams hurting performance.

It only takes 1 drop of infected water, spec of mud, or weed fragment to damage Tahoe’s ecology and clarity, and your paddle gear.

The greatest threat are the invasive golden mussels found nearby in the Sacramento-San Juaquin Delta.  While there are NO golden mussels – or zebra or quagga mussels in Tahoe – we must be on guard.  The aggressive golden mussel larvae are microscopic and can swim freely making it easy for them to get inside your paddle or I-SUP undetected.  The lake and your gear can become infested long before any adult mussels are discovered.

The best defense is to always Clean, Drain, and Dry all of your paddle gear before and after you paddle and move to another part of Tahoe.  This is vital when we paddle around the lake since we can accidently snag weed fragments on our paddles, fins, leashes, etc. that can have mudsnails and clams hiding that can spread to a clean part of the lake.

Watch this short video and follow the steps to prevent AIS and to protect your gear.

Before you Launch:  Inspect your gear for water, mud, and weeds.

1. Inflate paddleboard – Inspect deck pad, straps, fin, paddle, leash, etc.
2. Wipe your board and gear with a towel. Make sure it’s completely dry and has no mud or weeds.
3. Make sure your inflation valve is dry, clear of mud and weeds and closes securely so it doesn’t suck in water!
4. Open carrying bag flat so the inside can dry in the sun while you paddle.

While gear is drying, download a LTWT Day Trip Map, check the weather, and file a float plan.

After you Land:  Clean, Drain, and Dry all gear before you leave the beach!

1. Keep your paddleboard inflated. Inspect your inflation valve for water, mud and weeds – clean and dry with a towel.
2. Never deflate SUP in the water! This will suck water inside that can cause mold and weaken seams, and spread AIS to other areas.
3. Remove mud and weeds from straps, leash, fin, life jacket, shoes, etc. Throw in trash can – not the water.
4. Disassemble paddle and drain water on the beach. Clean off mud, weeds, and dry with your towel.
5. Dry your board and gear thoroughly before moving to another launch site.

Free Paddle Gear Decontaminations

To help you make sure you are not inadvertently spreading AIS, you can get a free, expedited hot water decontamination at a Tahoe Boat Inspection station. This is essential if you recently paddled in mussel infested waters like the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, or if you plan to paddle in Fallen Leaf, Angora or Echo Lakes that do NOT have AIS. 

To learn more, become a Tahoe Keeper.

It’s easy and free, and you’ll get a waterproof membership sticker and a free Clean, Drain, and Dry microfiber towel. 

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Thank you to the North Tahoe Community Alliance who invested TBID marketing funds into the production and distribution of this important educational video.