Conservation News
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
LADWP Taking Steps to Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
LADWP Taking Steps to Stop the Spread of Invasive Mussels
To help prevent the spread of invasive mussels that can impact the fishery and damage water conveyance systems, all boats entering Crowley Lake this year will be thoroughly inspected.
Boats showing signs of contamination with invasive mussels, or found to contain any water or debris that could harbor mussels, will not be allowed to launch into Crowley Lake. Boats that pass the inspection will be issued an Inspection Certification and allowed to launch.
Invasive mussels, which include quagga and zebra mussels, are small shellfish that were first introduced into the Great Lakes area in 1988 by cargo ships traveling from Eastern Europe. They quickly spread to 12 states within ten years and have since spread through the Metropolitan Water District's (MWD) Colorado River Aqueduct to reservoirs in Southern California. Currently eleven reservoirs in San Diego and Riverside Counties, as well as a small reservoir in San Benito County have been infested by these aquatic hitch hikers. Monitoring sites at LADWP facilities have tested negative for these mussels.
For more information and links to other sites related to this issue, go to http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp010475.jsp.