You may recall a line of bravado from any number of action movies, “That ain’t a threat, it’s a promise.” Sorry to say this part out loud but, the invasive Limnoperna fortunei, also known as the golden mussel, is no longer a hypothetical threat – it’s here in the San Joaquin Valley. More importantly, these mussels can clog pipes, damage pumps, and threaten the reliability of California’s water delivery systems. First detected in North America in 2024, golden mussels have rapidly spread throughout California’s interconnected water system. … According to the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDF&W), golden mussels have been found from Martinez in the East Bay to San Diego.

Other invasive species news:

• UC Rice Blog (UC ANR): Update on nutria populations