Dierkes, Murtaugh, and Shoshone Falls Added to the List of Restricted Waterways

The State of Idaho and the City of Twin Falls are taking the recent discovery of Quagga Mussel larvae very seriously. In addition to the closure of Centennial Park and the stretch of water between it and Shoshone Falls, Dierkes Lake is now off-limits to watercraft.

Earlier this week, the larvae were discovered in the water near Centennial Park and yesterday, September 19th, Idaho’s Governor Brad Little announced that the area was to be closed immediately so work could be done to find the source and fix the problem.

Add Dierkes, Murtaugh, and Shoshone Falls to the List of Places Now Restricting Water Access

The City of Twin Falls has now announced that access to Dierkes Lake and the water above the Shoshone Falls are also closed. The press release states that ‘The City of Twin Falls has Closed Shoshone Falls Park Boat Ramp and Dierkes Lake Park to all watercraft including kayaks, paddle boards, canoes, and inflatable craft’. Murtaugh Lake has also been closed out of caution. Motorized boats are restricted at Shoshone Falls Park Boat Ramp, Murtaugh Lake, and Centennial Park but were never allowed at Dierkes Lake.

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Originally it was stated that the waterways would be closed until Saturday, but the new release states that they will be closed until the Idaho State Department of Agriculture can confirm that the mussels have been contained. Murtaugh Lake will be closed for at least 30 days as a precaution. They also state:

any watercraft that was in the Snake River between Centennial Park and Shoshone Falls will need to contact ISDA to arrange a Hot Wash of their watercraft.

RELATED STORY: Original Story On Quagga Mussel Infestation

Despite being widely broadcast and talked about on social media sites, there were still some surprised residents who went down to Centennial in hopes of boating on the Snake River but were met instead with the realization that the area was closed.