It was a scary reminder of how easy it would be for quagga mussels to get a foothold in Northwest waters.
In February of 2008, thousands of the invasive mussels were found clinging to a boat that was being transported from Lake Mead, Nevada to Vancouver, B.C. The boat owners were stopped along I-5 near Ridgefield, WA and their dangerous stowaways were put to death by a mixture of hot water and bleach.
Quagga mussels found on a propeller in Lake Mead, NV. Repairs for this kind of damage can cost hundreds. Photo courtesy Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
In some ways the system to prevent a quagga invasion worked. According to press accounts, the mussels were spotted at a check point in California. Officials in that state notified Oregon and Washington, so when the boat was stopped it’s because we knew it was coming.
But the case also made Oregon officials even more aware of how powerless they are to stop quagga and zebra mussels from entering the state.
So on Tuesday, they’re going before legislators to ask for some help.
House Bill 2220 creates a series of check stations at all major entry points in Oregon. Anyone bringing in a boat would have to stop and be inspected for invasive species. If some are found, the boats and trailers would be cleaned before the trip could be resumed.
Tom Wolf of Trout Unlimited thinks that’s a small price to pay considering how much damage quagga mussels could do if they enter Oregon. “All fishermen,” he says, “need to be concerned about what they’re bringing into the state.”
Like many invasive species, Quaggas are prolific breeders. According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, a few mussels can produce millions of offspring in a year. The two-inch long creatures form giant mats, taking over lakes, streams and rivers, crowding out native plants and insects. Wolf says they devastate the food base, essentially starving trout, salmon and other freshwater species.
A mussel infestation of Bonneville and other dams would raise electricity rates. Photo Courtesy BPA.
In the Great Lakes, mussels take over water intake pipes driving up the costs of water systems and utilities. The costs of controlling the pests is estimated from $3.2 billion to $6.5 million over a ten year period.
In Northwest rivers, a mussel invasion could increase the costs of electricity by reducing the flow of water into hydropower dams. A 2005 study by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission says the start up costs of installing mussel control systems on the dams of the Columbia River would be $23 million
The House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Communities Committee holds a hearing on HB 2220 and other bills related to invasive species on Tuesday, March 31st starting at 8am in Hearing Room D.
