The board of supervisors Tuesday voted to “mussel” up some support from congressional representatives for the Zebra Mussel Eradication Plan at San Justo Reservoir.
In September, the board received an update on the eradication plan from Dale Rosskamp, deputy district engineer for the San Benito Water District.
Rosskamp told the board the plan could take another three to five years to implement.
With Congress at a standstill over the government shutdown and possible default, the environmental review – needed to complete the plan by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation – is “not an active priority,” said Rosskamp.
Rosskamp said the Reclamation office in Fresno is completely shut down as a result of the impasse.
“It will take a couple of weeks just for them to get through the incoming emails and phone calls that have built up,” he said.
Therefore, Rosskamp is reaching out to the California congressional congregation, including Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. He said the board’s approval Tuesday will help him do that.
“We want everybody on board at every stage (of the project,)” Rosskamp said.
But with the eradication of earmarks in Congress, it has made the process of obtaining funds to further the project more difficult, he said.
“We have to work to get it inserted (in the budget) at an administrative level in D.C.,” he said.
The fingernail-sized zebra mussels were discovered at the popular fishing and recreational spot in January 2008. Although other mussels such as quagga mussels in the East Bay have caused problems there, San Justo Reservoir is the only known place the zebra mussel resides on the West Coast.
The mussels populate quickly and can clog delivery systems. The reservoir was shut down promptly after the discovery.
