Boaters visiting Ruth Lake this summer are being urged to clean, drain, and dry all watercraft to prevent the spread of the invasive golden mussel. Officials say that the golden mussel, native to East and Southeast Asia, poses a significant threat to the lake’s ecosystem and Humboldt County’s primary water source. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Ruth Lake’s water quality conditions are ideal for the golden mussel to establish and thrive. The dense colonization of this species could disrupt the operations of Matthews Dam, potentially endangering the county’s water supply. Michiko Mares, General Manager at the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, emphasized the importance of boaters’ cooperation to help stop the spread of the mussel.

Other golden mussels news:

• KRCR (Redding, Calif.): Golden mussel threat prompts Ruth Lake boating precautions
• Lost Coast Outpost (Eureka, Calif.): This summer, let’s all do our part to keep these new, nasty, invasive, infrastructure-destroying mussels out of Ruth Lake