This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Deer Creek Reservoir State Park's Island boat ramp will close for the off-season Monday and remain closed through May in 2016.
Park officials said the Island will remain open for day use recreation, all off-season boaters will be required to launch from the park's main boat ramp.
With off-season attendance dropping off during the fall and winter, the closure allows park staff to manage all quagga mussel decontamination and inspection efforts from one ramp.
The park was listed as a quagga mussel suspect water last fall when tests found five juvenile quagga mussels in a water sample collected at the reservoir. Though no adult mussels have been found, the reservoir must be treated as if infected.
The Division of Wildlife Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation will conduct ongoing sampling twice a month for the next two years to determine if the problem species is in the reservoir. Divers also regularly look for adult mussels on the dam and under other water structures.
Boaters are required to self-decontaminate their boats and other recreational equipment like kahyaks, paddle boards and float tubes. Boats should be left to dry at home for 18 days in fall and 390 days in the winter.
For decontamination information, log on to http://www.stdofthesea.com.