After quagga mussels were found in the waters of Idaho, water protection groups in the Shuswap are calling for more water inspection stations and new legislation to help prevent the invasive species from spreading locally.
The Shuswap Watershed Council and the Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society (CSISS) are raising the alarm about recent discoveries of zebra and quagga mussels, the latter of which have been detected in the Snake River at Twin Falls in Idaho. The detection of these mussels in September was the first to be confirmed by the Idaho State Department and is the closest known presence of invasive mussels to B.C.
The Snake River is a tributary to the Columbia River, creating concern that if the quagga mussels can’t be eradicated they could drift downstream to infest the trans-boundary Columbia.
Authorities in Idaho have put a quarantine in place, banning boaters, hunters and fishers from being on the Snake River to prevent further spread of the mussels.
A molluscicide is being used to treat the water and kill the mussels, however it also kills fish and plant life. Yet, authorities say this is a better option than allowing the mussels to proliferate.
In B.C., the province reports that the Invasive Mussel Defence Program’s eight watercraft inspection stations around the province have intercepted 10 mussel-infested boats between April 1 and Aug. 14. The infested watercraft were from Ontario, Michigan, Nevada and South Carolina and were bound for the Okanagan, Lower Mainland and Thompson-Nicola regions.
The Shuswap Watershed Council has shared its concerns about invasive mussels with the province in a letter in which the it urges B.C. to establish more watercraft inspection stations and require all watercraft coming into B.C. to be inspected before hitting the water. The letter also asks the province to enact new “pull-the-plug” legislation that would require boat owners to pull the drain plug before travelling on B.C. roads.
“We are very concerned a watercraft infested with zebra or quagga mussels will enter B.C. via an unchecked route or outside of station operating hours,” said Erin Vieira, program manager for the Shuswap Watershed Council.
Vieira says that at one time the province operated 12 watercraft inspection stations; this year there are six inspection stations set up highway-side around B.C.’s perimeter and two roving stations.
The letter to the province also calls for advocacy for new containment measures in Manitoba and Ontario, which already have zebra and quagga mussel infestations.
Boats or water gear are the primary ways these mussels spread. Adult mussels attach themselves directly, and juvenile mussels float freely in trapped water within boats and other items, the council said. The mussels can survive a long journey from one water body to another attached to watercraft, even if they are out of water for several days.
Once introduced to a body of water, the mussels wreak havoc on aquatic ecosystems and on underwater infrastructure. A report published by the province in May estimates an annual cost to deal with the mussels as being in the range of $64 - $129 million. The council notes these costs would be paid for by taxpayers.
“Preventing the spread of invasive mussels is key. Watercraft users should clean-drain-dry and stop for watercraft inspection whenever they travel — that includes boats, paddleboards, kayaks and canoes, inflatable dinghies, personal watercraft, and more,” said Robyn Hooper, executive director for CSISS. “All it takes is one contaminated boat or watercraft launching into B.C. waters, and our freshwater could be altered forever.”
CSISS commenced its monitoring program for zebra and quagga mussels in the Shuswap in May, checking the water for juvenile invasive mussels. The monitoring program ran until Oct. 11 and involved collecting samples from 25 sites on 15 different water bodies.
Over the course of the monitoring program, a total of 137 samples were collected. All samples have been analyzed in a lab and there have been no detections of zebra or quagga mussels within the Columbia Shuswap region.
“The threat of invasive mussels is never going away,” said Vieira. “Our organizations are committed to continuing with our work to monitor, educate and advocate for better protection measures from the provincial and federal governments in order to minimize the risk of an invasion.”
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