California is investing $7.5 million to slow the spread of invasive golden mussels, including $6 million in one-time funding and $1.5 million in ongoing annual support to protect the state’s waterways and water infrastructure. … Its tendency to rapidly reproduce, forming dense colonies on underwater surfaces, can clog pipes, pumps and critical water infrastructure while disrupting local ecosystems. Its spread has raised resulting alarm across California: over the past two months, the Sacramento, Kern and San Joaquin counties have declared local emergencies in response to the invasive species threat. The money will establish five Delta-based decontamination sites to inspect boats and equipment for invasive mussels and remove them before they spread to other waterways.

Other invasive species news:

• SFGate: ‘No point of return’: Calif. won’t keep golden mussels from second-largest reservoir
• Active NorCal (Redding, Calif.): Golden mussels just hit their northernmost point yet in the Port of West Sacramento
• Lost Coast Outpost (Eureka, Calif.): The pikeminnow fishing derby is back! Get out on the Eel River and kill invasive fish for a prize