The projected dollar figures are not the only cause for concern the mussels have demonstrated their ability to fundamentally alter ecosystems. However, some of these costs would likely be passed on to ratepayers. Both Idaho and Washington estimate a price tag of hundreds of millions of dollars per year to manage a fully-established infestation, which would include maintenance work to irrigated agriculture and hydropower systems - both critical for the Northwest. The invasive mussel is particularly feared for the substantial damage it can inflict on infrastructure. No invasive quagga or zebra mussels have been found Washington’s waters, including in the Snake River.Ĭourtesy of Washington Department Of Fish And Wildlife The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sampled for mussels and other invasive species on the Columbia River in 2022. The discovery’s implications extend beyond Idaho, as the Snake River flows into the Columbia River system, shared by the region’s tribes and the states of Washington and Oregon. “We are no longer zebra mussel and quagga mussel free.” “It will change what it means to be a Pacific Northwesterner” “It’s a huge deal,” said Blaine Parker, an invasive species biologist for the Columbia River Inter-tribal Fish Commission. The Columbia River Basin, spanning the Pacific Northwest, was the last holdout. Native to Eastern Europe, the quagga and similarly invasive zebra mussels had already impacted all major river basins in the U.S. Within a month of hatching, they latch onto surfaces, quickly coating and clogging irrigation pipes, drinking water intakes and hydropower equipment. A single female can produce more than one million eggs in a year. Brad Little called the discovery of quagga mussel in the Snake River a "potential crisis."Īdult quagga mussels are smaller than a human thumbnail. “The what if - what if it’s unconstrained - is going to leave a huge mark on this valley and the state of Idaho for a long, long time,” Little said in Twin Falls. Brad Little called two press conferences. The species is one of the most invasive in the U.S., and its invasion into the Pacific Northwest has long been dreaded.īy Tuesday, the popular waterfront park in the Snake River Canyon was shut down and nearby lakes and river access points were closed to recreationists with boats, kayaks, paddle boards and canoes. Environmental and other agencies seek to stop the spread of invasive mussels because they can clog piping and mechanical systems of industrial plants, utilities, locks and dams. 25, 2020, at a boat launch in Olympia, Wash. of Fish and Wildlife displays invasive quagga mussels during a demonstration of a boat inspection for reporters, Tuesday, Feb. The call confirmed that routine water sampling had captured the larval form of the quagga mussel - only visible under a microscope - freely floating in the Snake River by Twin Falls.
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