Zebra/Quagga Mussels

Zebra mussels and their close cousin quagga mussels are mollusks originating in Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Until January of 2007, the mussels have been successfully contained east of the 100th Meridian in North America. These small creatures pose a serious threat to waterways, potentially causing billions of dollars of economic damage to water supply systems by plugging intake screens and pipes, devastating natural resources and presenting a serious health hazard.

Mussel larvae live in the water column and are easily transported downstream before settling on lake or river bottoms and any hard surfaces such as pump intakes, dams, docks, etc., to live as adults. The juvenile mussels are small and difficult to see and attach to hard surfaces such as fiberglass, plastic, metal, wood and concrete. Trailered boats can easily transfer larvae and adult mussels from one water body to another.

In January 2007, quagga mussels were discovered in Lake Mead and the lower Colorado River, posing a nearer threat to the waterways of the lower Columbia Basin. The Columbia River Basin Aquatic Nuisance Species Team of the 100th Meridian Initiative is working to counter this potential threat. You can help. Thoroughly clean your boat hull, live wells, bilges and boat trailer with hot, pressurized water and soap and/or 6 percent solution of household bleach when you have exited another water system and are trailering your boat to a different location. Flush engine coolant systems with hot water (above 140 degrees) to kill larvae in the cooling water. Dispose of unused bait in the trash.