In Colorado, water is critical. But what’s spreading in the water on the western slope has experts concerned. Now, the fight to contain zebra mussels has become a priority around the state for Colorado Parks and Wildlife. … According to CPW, zebra mussels were first discovered in Highline Lake in 2022, the first infestation of the species in Colorado. By 2024, zebra mussels were detected in the Government Highline Canal and the Colorado River. … These shells already infect some western slope lakes and more than 100 miles of the Colorado River, from the Utah border to where it meets with the Eagle River in Dotsero. They want its spread to stop there.