The Invader That Could Destroy Californias Water Quality

By: Sarah Bernheim

The state of California and various water districts have sounded the warning bell that the states waterways and lakes are under invasion, and water quality for people and fish could be severely impacted. To date, 25 lakes, including Lake Mead, have been invaded by the quagga mussel. The zebra mussel has made itself at home in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County. These tiny mussels, the size of a dime, can destroy native fisheries by consuming large numbers of organisms at the base of the food chain. Water resource managers and biologists say that the fisheries from Lake Tahoe to Calero Reservoir near San Jose could be affected. The Del Valle Reservoir near Livermore is also under attack.

Salmon Run at Risk

A migration path and nursery for salmon and other fish at the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is especially at risk for an invasion, said fishery scientists. These mussels also clog water pipes, which can increase the cost of delivering clean drinking water. It could cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars annually to replace, monitor and clean pipes. These pests spread by hitching rides on boats. Once settled, their reproduction rates are phenomenal. For example, the Metropolitan Water District in Southern California has so far shelled out $35 million to keep the quaggas mussel at bay. That money goes to maintenance, replacement, monitoring equipment and chemicals.

Raising Boat Fees

The Bay area is still free from this invasion, but natural resource managers worry that a single mollusk or larvae on a boat could open a new front on this war. Once these mussels invade a reservoir, its impossible to get rid of them, said East Bay Municipal Utility District spokesman Charles Hardy.

The Santa Clara Valley Water District has joined with other water districts and recreation agencies to work up a plan to battle these invaders. Part of the plan to stem the invasion is to raise boater fees. This idea has boaters unhappy. The state legislature is currently considering a proposal to double the two-year boat registration fee from $20 to $40.

Boat Inspection Fees are Considered

Jack Michael, a representative of the Recreational Boaters of California, said boaters are aware of the mussel problem. His members are concerned, though, that the state will just throw money at the problem without knowing the best solution. One solution under study is a demand for boaters to inspect their boats more carefully for mollusks hitching a ride. This can be cost prohibitive for some boaters. Some recreation districts charge a fee to inspect boats before allowing the boat to enter the water. Lake Tahoe charges fees that start at $33.