Rancho Seco Recreational Area implements new boat restrictions to protect lake

Preventive measures against invasive mussels protect waterway, recreational opportunities

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, SMUD announced new watercraft restrictions at Rancho Seco Lake as a preventive measure against the spread of invasive, non-native golden mussels recently discovered in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The new restrictions follow an alert issued by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife that indicated the potential environmental and economic threats it could pose to the region.

To protect Rancho Seco Lake from invasive mussels, only small watercraft that can be launched by hand (such as canoes, kayaks, smaller electric watercraft, paddle boats, sculls and the like) are now allowed. These boats must be thoroughly cleaned, drained and dried before launch, and cannot have been in any other waterway, including the Delta, for at least 30 days. The measures include:

• No trailer-launched watercraft will be allowed on the lake.

• Hand-launched watercraft will be allowed, as long as the watercraft has not been used in other waters, including the Delta, within the previous 30 days.

• Non-aquatic bait options, like night crawlers, red worms, garden worms, crickets and mealworms can be used on the lake. No live aquatic bait, including all baitfish, crawfish, crabs, mussels, etc., can be used on the lake. 

• Small electric trolling motors and other hand-launched watercraft such as hand-launched canoes, rafts, kayaks, rowboats, paddle boats, inflatables, sculls and other hand-launched recreational watercraft will still be allowed on the lake.

• All permitted watercrafts will be required to undergo a watercraft inspection by a certified inspector or canine upon park entry. Inspectors will restrict any boat that has been in any other body of water in the last 30 days or that they deem a risk.

• All watercrafts must be clean, drained, and dry. Boaters will be required to participate in visual inspections of their watercraft.

• All visitors planning to launch any flotation device will receive inspection and must be fully clean, drained and dry before launching.

The 400-acre Rancho Seco Recreational Area remains open for a wide range of activities including camping, hiking, fishing and bird watching. Visitors can still enjoy the scenic Howard Ranch Trail, picnic areas and renovated facilities. SMUD's popular Trout Derby event on April 5 and 6 will continue as scheduled, with staff and resources in place to ensure all participants can enjoy a successful fishing experience while adjusting to the new watercraft guidelines. Certified watercraft inspectors and canine teams will be on-site to conduct thorough inspections, ensuring all watercraft meet clean, drain and dry requirements before launching.

For more information about recreational activities at Rancho Seco Recreational Area, visit smud.org/RanchoSeco.

About SMUD
As the nation’s sixth-largest, community-owned, not-for-profit electric service provider, SMUD has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity to Sacramento County for more than 75 years. SMUD is a recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. In 2023, SMUD’s power supply was, on average, 78 percent carbon free, and SMUD has a goal to reach zero carbon in its electricity production by 2030. SMUD’s rates and customer bills are consistently among the lowest in California, and are today, on average, more than 50 percent lower than its neighboring investor-owned utility. For more information on SMUD’s Zero Carbon Plan and its customer programs, visit smud.org.