New gates will “give boaters more freedom to come and go at Lake Pueblo,” according to the state park’s manager, Joe Stadterman.

A recent news release described the gates at the lake’s south ramp as designed in a way that will allow boats to leave but not enter after hours.

“This is a response to our guests who like to fish and boat late into the night,” Stadterman said in the release. “We are trying to accommodate them while maintaining the highest defense possible to prevent aquatic nuisance species from entering the lake.”

Nighttime departures have not been allowed in recent years as Colorado Parks and Wildlife has reportedly ramped up its fight against non-native zebra and quagga mussels. Staffers have been inspecting boats at state-managed waters for the species CPW say threaten fish, habitat and water infrastructure.

While not receiving a seal marking vessels clean, the news release implored boaters to follow CPW’s “clean, drain and dry” protocol and added decontamination could be required to reenter the lake.

Stadterman emphasized the park “will not relax our (aquatic nuisance species) inspections as we continue to keep Lake Pueblo free of invasive zebra and quagga mussels.”

Lake Pueblo is Colorado’s most popular state park, with nearly 3 million visitors counted last year.