CASPER, Wyo. — The aquatic invasive species check station at Glendo Reservoir will close for the season effective Monday, Dec. 19, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
Boaters have been required to undergo inspections this season prior to launching at Glendo and Keyhole Reservoirs after invasive mussels were discovered in Pactola Reservoir in South Dakota, near the Wyoming border. The check station at Keyhole closed at the end of November due to freezing at the reservoir.
As the check station at Glendo closes, boat ramp barriers at Whiskey Gulch Reno and Marina will be removed. Watercraft will be allowed to launch if ice conditions allow.
“Boaters and anglers, thank you for your cooperation these past few months,” Alan Osterland, Game and Fish chief of fisheries, said. “The collaboration between boaters, Game and Fish and State Parks helped protect Wyoming’s waters from invasive mussels.”
In 2023, Game and Fish plans to add new aquatic invasive species check stations in Lusk and Newcastle to bolster monitoring of watercraft entering the state from South Dakota.
“In addition, check stations throughout the state will begin to open as early as the first week of March and will operate through November,” the department added. “Game and Fish will supplement the increase in check stations, hours and season with additional staffing across the state.
“Boaters are reminded that it is a requirement that any watercraft that has been in a water infested with zebra/quagga mussels within the last 30 days undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector prior to launching in Wyoming during all months of the year. Keeping AIS from spreading into and within the state is a priority for Game and Fish. As always, remember to Clean, Drain and Dry your equipment between waters.”
