Boat-inspection stations at Lake Tahoe open for season

Lake Tahoe roadside boat-inspection stations at Meyers, Spooner Summit and Alpine Meadows opened for the season Wednesday.

The stations will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Annual watercraft-inspection fess are unchanged from last season. The “Tahoe In & Out” stickers range from $35 for personal watercraft under 17 feet to $121 for vessels over 39 feet. The “Tahoe Only” sticker costs $30.

A boat that requires decontamination is subject to an additional $25 fee, while decontamination of each raw-water system such as ballasts and generators costs $10.

All motorized boats and watercraft require an inspection for aquatic invasive species prior to launching into Lake Tahoe. Quagga and zebra mussels multiply quickly and colonize underwater surfaces including docks, filtration systems and buoys, according to a Tahoe Resource Conservation District news release.

It is illegal to knowingly transport aquatic invasive species into the lake.

“Boaters are encouraged to clean, drain and dry their boats prior to arriving at inspection stations in order to save everyone time and money,” Nicole Cartwright, Watercraft Inspection Program administrator for the conservation district, said in the release. “Taking these simple steps will get you on the water faster.”

Inspection stations at Northstar and Homewood will open May 23. The two stations will only be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday throughout the season.

For more information, go to www.tahoeboatinspections.com or call 888-824-6267.