LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The battle in opposition to invasive quagga mussels at Lake Mead is constant and two extra sorts of the mollusks have been detected — one in western Colorado and one other quickly increasing into Southern California.
Zebra mussels have been present in two lakes in western Colorado, and within the river close to the Colorado-Utah border, in line with data posted Sept. 15 by Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
In California, golden mussels have been first discovered close to Sacramento a yr in the past. Now they’ve unfold to Southern California lakes. They’ve been discovered at Silverwood Lake, simply south of the place Interstate 15 descends into San Bernardino, however not but at Lake Arrowhead.
The golden mussels have not made it to the Colorado River or Lake Mead but, however water managers are nervous that boats may unfold them instantly into our water system. Boaters must totally examine and clear their vessels earlier than reuse.
Quagga mussels on a ship propeller at Lake Mead. (Picture: Nationwide Park Service)
Quagga mussels have been first present in Lake Mead in 2007 at Las Vegas Boat Harbor. “Since the initial sighting, the quagga mussel has spread to most parts of lakes Mead and Mohave, causing concern for boaters and water based equipment like water buoys, underwater archeological sites and structures,” in line with Lake Mead’s web site.
Inside six years, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation was spending $1 million a yr to fight them. They are often harmful to water programs, clogging pipes as they reproduce quickly and fix themselves to simply about all the pieces.
The zebra mussels in Colorado are surviving at increased altitudes, however often lose out when quagga mussels are additionally current.
Mussels are shellfish that feed by filtering plankton from the water. “An adult mussel can filter up to 1 liter of water per day, and 1 square meter of surface can host up to 200,000 mussels. 10 square feet of golden mussels can remove plankton from 1.5 million gallons of water per month, starving fish and damaging fisheries,” in line with Western Outside Information.
Quagga mussels at Lake Mead:
Biologists are preserving a detailed watch on golden mussels, which originated from China and Southeast Asia. They’ve proven excessive tolerance to variations in water temperatures.
Golden mussels will be recognized by their small measurement and light-weight golden to darker yellowish-brown coloured shell, in line with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “Nicknamed ‘zebra mussels on steroids’ due to their rapid reproduction and broader environmental tolerance, golden mussels pose a serious threat to water quality, natural ecosystems, infrastructure and water conveyance systems,” a June 9 social media submit stated.
Managers at Lake Mead and different our bodies of water submit tips and necessities associated to controlling the unfold of the mussels. Decontamination stations are supplied for boaters. For extra data, go to https://www.nps.gov/lake/be taught/quagga-mussel.htm.
