The Colorado River is now officially “positive” for invasive zebra mussels in the latest failure of containment for the voracious species, after three new samples came up with larvae July 3, from between Glenwood Springs and Silt. The main stem Colorado River discoveries piled on top of a confirmed “large number” of adult zebra mussels in a private body of water in western Eagle County, and two more positive larvae tests, at Highline Lake and Mack Mesa Lake, both near the Utah border, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said Wednesday. Sampling was redoubled throughout June after tests found a single zebra mussel larvae, or veliger, in the Colorado River from a June 9 collection. It’s the second year in a row veligers are being discovered in the West’s key river channel through Colorado, and now CPW officials are also dealing with a full-blown adult zebra mussel invasion in the privately owned Eagle County water. 

Related articles:

• Steamboat Pilot & Today (Colo.): Colorado River declared positive for zebra mussels after second detection by CPW
• The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (Colo.): Mussels found in private water in Eagle County; more bad news for Highline Lake State Park
• KUSA (Denver, Colo.): Colorado steps up zebra mussel battle with key discovery