Zebra mussels threaten infrastructure and native ecosystems. Colorado is ramping up efforts to detect and contain them.
… Zebra mussels are bad news for western waterways. Spread mainly by hitching rides on watercraft, the fast-reproducing mollusks clog water infrastructure, cling to marinas and docks, and outcompete native species. Colorado has taken costly measures to keep its lakes and rivers free of the mussels, but recorded the first official infestation in the state’s portion of the Colorado River this year. Quagga mussels, zebra mussels’ close relatives, and other aquatic nuisance species, have made their presence known at reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin, like Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
Other invasive species news:
- Action News Now (Chico, Calif.): One year after their discovery, State of California working to stop spread of invasive golden mussel
- The Sacramento Bee (Calif.): Iconic — but destructive — bird can soon be hunted year-round, new Calif. law says
