PROTECT YOUR BOAT
PROTECT LAKE TAHOE
Welcome to the TRPA 2010 watercraft inspection
information page. We appreciate that you are taking the time to learn about
boating on Lake Tahoe. It’s clear that this is a joint effort of all those who
love our lakes and who pledge to keep our waters clean and free from destructive aquatic invaders such as the quagga and
zebra mussels.
Boat inspection and certification are required at all launch
facilities. Boat inspections that have been in effect at Lake
Tahoe since 2008 are being upgraded for 2010 to include a clean boating
certification and sticker. Called Blue Boating, the certification and
education program is the newest element in a broad effort to protect one of the nation’s most treasured waterways.
A single annual fee for Blue Boating certification plus unlimited inspection services are part of the upgrades to the inspection program this year. Once certification is complete, you will receive one of the Tahoe Blue Boat certification stickers pictured below to be
displayed on your motorized vessel.
Where do I get certified?
How have the fees changed?
Why a certification inspection?
Why a sticker fee?
How will Blue Boating affect vintage and classic wooden boats?
Do I have to pay every time I launch?
How can I prepare and what should I expect?
Where do I get certified?
At your usual launch site. This year, certification and
inspection services are being provided at all launch ramps and through boat
storage facilities. Additional roadside inspection sites have also been opened this season to improve efficiency and convenience for boaters by offering pre-launch AIS inspections and Blue Boating certifications. Boats that arrive at a launch facility pre-inspected and certified help decrease wait times and speed the way through at launch sites.
These roadside inspection centers will also help inspect non-motorized, car-top
watercraft such as canoes and kayaks and will serve as
decontamination centers for boaters that arrive at Tahoe launch sites with a boat
or bilge that is not Clean, Drained and Dry. TRPA and the Tahoe Resource
Conservation District (TRCD) has established four roadside inspections areas in and around the Tahoe Basin in operation daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.:
- Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, CA; off Hwy 89 on Alpine Meadows Rd at the Deer Park parking lot.
-
Northstar at Tahoe Resort, CA; off Hwy 267 on Northstar Drive at the Castle Peak parking lot.
-
Meyers, CA; 2128 Keetak Street, near the intersection of Highways 89 and 50.
-
Spooner Summit, NV; at the intersection of Highways 28 and 50. Only vessels less than 26 feet can be accommodated at the Spooner location. Larger vessels can proceed to launch sites.
After the
inspection, one of the stickers below will BE placed on your boat
certifying you for Blue Boating. The sticker allows you to launch at Tahoe
for the the full year.
|
TAHOE-ONLY BOAT
INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION FEES |
|
Vessel Category |
Horsepower |
Annual Fee |
|
Motorized With Intact
Inspection Seal |
1-100 |
$20 |
|
101-300 |
$30 |
|
301-500 |
$40 |
|
501-1,000 |
$50 |
|
1,001 + |
$60 |
- Average vessel fees are shown in red.
- Non-motorized watercraft (canoes, kayaks, etc.) must submit for a
free Aquatic Invasive Species inspection and do not require a Blue
Boating sticker.
|
|
Tahoe In and Out Boat Annual
Fee
(FOR BOATS THAT USE OTHER WATERS DURING THE YEAR) |
|
Vessel
Length/Type
for AIS Inspection |
Total Horsepower |
|
1-100 |
101-300 |
301-500 |
501-1,000 |
1,000 + |
|
Up to 16 ft |
$30 |
$40 |
$50 |
$60 |
$70 |
|
Personal Watercraft |
$35 |
$45 |
$55 |
$65 |
$75 |
|
16 ft to 25 ft |
$55 |
$65 |
$75 |
$85 |
$95 |
|
26 ft to 39 ft |
$65 |
$75 |
$85 |
$95 |
$105 |
|
Over 39 ft |
$85 |
$95 |
$105 |
$115 |
$125 |
-
Average vessel fees are
shown in red.
- A three day pass is available for visiting boats at a flat $20
discount.
- Non-motorized watercraft (canoes, kayaks, etc.) must submit for a
free Aquatic Invasive Species inspection and do not require a Blue
Boating sticker.
- Unlimited AIS inspections are included for the calendar year with
the Tahoe In and Out sticker.
|
Why a certification inspection?
Lake Tahoe is a pristine alpine lake where clean boating and protection from
aquatic invasive species are high priorities. Boaters directly benefit
from watercraft inspections because the waters they use will be kept clean and
free from new invasive species. TRPA recognizes the importance of
boating to Lake Tahoe’s heritage and to the local economy. As boating thrives,
so can adverse impacts such as engine pollutants, shoreline erosion, noise and
pollutant discharges from dirty bilges and sewage. Blue Boating
certification provides educational services to boaters while building mitigation
resources and adding some environmental controls. Through watercraft
inspections, clean boating can continue to be a foundation of the Region’s
recreational resources.
Additionally, Lake Tahoe continues to be threatened by quagga and zebra
mussels. These devastating invasive species are carried from place
to place on boat trailers and boats. They are highly successful in part because
they attach to any hard surface and can live out of water for weeks at a time.
The mussels reproduce rapidly, causing irreversible environmental damage and can seriously damage boat engines by
clogging engine cooling systems, causing motors to overheat.
By integrating with the Aquatic Invasive Species Program, Blue Boating
provides a seamless upgrade to broader environmental protections around the
Lake. Lake Tahoe has been specially designated an Outstanding
National Resource Water. This special honor comes with high standards for
pollution control.
Why a sticker fee?
Boaters are the key to protecting the waters they use from impacts associated
with boating. However, substantial funding for the inspection program
continues to be provided by grants. By contributing to the inspection and
certification program through the payment of sticker fees, boaters are contributing a
fair share
to the effort to protect Lake Tahoe. Portions of the fee also help build important
mitigation measures designed to protect and enhance on-the-water recreation. TRPA has worked with boating advocates
and the public to establish a fee structure that meets the needs of the program
without being unfair to boaters.
How will Blue Boating affect vintage and classic wooden boats?
TRPA is supportive of Lake Tahoe's rich boating past and recognizes the importance of Tahoe's vintage fleet. While engine restrictions are not part of the certification program this year, TRPA staff is working with vintage boat advocates on amendments to the program that would clarify considerations for vessels of historic value. Where noise is concerned, TRPA noise requirements are the same as regulations in both States for noise and muffler systems. These requirements are also not new to the TRPA Code and have been in effect since 1987. The focus of Blue Boating is on altered exhaust systems and aftermarket cutout devices that make boats louder.
The Agency's proactive outreach to private operators has been helpful in crafting the program and considerations are being made for other issues important to the vintage boating community such as how to best display the annual certification sticker.
Do I have to pay every time I launch?
No. The fee structure has been updated so that only one
annual fee is required to pay for all the services provided at launch ramps and
decontamination centers. Whether public or private, launch ramps usually collect fees
for using their facility as well and each facility is different.
Only credit cards will be accepted by TRCD certified inspectors working at
public launch sites and offsite inspection centers. Boaters are encouraged to plan ahead by contacting
launch facilities to find out about water level, hours of operation, and other
fees.
ALWAYS CLEAN, DRAIN AND DRY
YOUR EQUIPMENT EVERY TIME YOU LAUNCH
Click Here for Current Ramp and Marina Hours
How to prepare and what to expect.
Come to the launch facility prepared to answer questions about
your boat engine, sewage disposal, bilge cleaning and recent boating trips.
Visit www.tahoeboatinspections.comto learn about Clean, Drain, and Dry and to get up-to-date information about inspections.
New Watercraft Inspection Services:
- Giving tips on clean boating, bilge cleaning, and sewage management
- Promoting awareness of the 600-Foot No-Wake Zone and noise rules
- Providing a Blue Boating certification sticker to all compliant motorized boats on Lake Tahoe
- Offering inspection/decontamination sites along major highways into Lake Tahoe
- Providing information on engine tuning at Lake Tahoe
Contact us:
1-888-TAHO-ANS
www.tahoeboatinspections.com
Or text "follow tahoeaquatic" to 40404 from your phone.
Thank you, boaters! You are the key to keeping Tahoe pristine and mussel
free.