Park Service Bans Older Watercraft on Lakes Mead and Mohave

If you’ve got an older model watercraft, with a carbureted, two stroke engine, don’t bother taking it to either Lake Mead or Lake Mohave after the 1st of the year.

Enlarge image

Credit National Park Service

Lake Mead Marina

The National Park Service is banning them from those Lakes.

Those craft include Jet skis, SeaDoos and Waverunners.

Boats with similar engines are not included in the ban.

Christie Vanover, with the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, says the reason for the restriction is the pollution that comes from those engines.

“Based on the studies that we have, it’s been reporter that as much as 25% to 30% of the fuel can pollute directly into the lake waters," she said.     

And those lakes are sources of drinking water for many communities in the Las Vegas valley.

Vanover says the Park has been phasing in the ban for the past decade.

And she adds that many manufacturers have already upgraded their engines to meet California’s tougher emission standards.