Invasive mussels have been discovered in Ventura County’s Lake Piru, marking the first time invasive mussels have been found in a Southern California water body that does not receive any water from the Colorado River.
The mussels, tentatively identified as quagga, were reported on December 18 after staff discovered them attached to a patrol boat; several additional mussels were found in other locations throughout the lake. Lake Piru staff are working to determine the full extent of the infestation.
Invasive mussels multiply quickly and can destroy fisheries, damage boats, and cripple water systems, potentially costing billions to control. Once established, they are virtually impossible to eradicate. Mandatory boat inspections and public education are key to controlling the spread; mussels are most often are spread from one water body to another by hitching a ride on any watercraft that is subsequently relaunched in another water body without first being cleaned, drained, and thoroughly dried.
Lake Piru, managed by the United Water Conservation District, is located downstream of Pyramid Lake and drains into Lower Piru Creek, a tributary of the Santa Clara River.
Native to Eurasia, quagga mussels were first found in the Great Lakes in 1988. Since then, they’ve been steadily marching across the country, being detected in the Colorado River system in 2007. They were subsequently found Quagga mussels were first detected in the Colorado River system in January of 2007. They are now known to be ‘in 26 other water bodies in California.
Written by Chris “Maven” Austin
You must be logged in to post a comment.