mussel

The recent discovery of a new type of invasive mussel in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is raising concerns that the non-native species could cause major ecological harm and inflict costly complications for the infrastructure California relies on to deliver water across the state.

And in most of these cases elsewhere, the golden mussel’s range rapidly expanded up or downstream from the point of introduction — usually at a port and then through local, human-mediated pathways, officials said.

Golden mussel takeovers in other countries have shown that the species can grow in clumps or colonies containing as many as 80,000 to 200,000 organisms per square meter.

Wildlife officials have noted that the golden mussel can survive in considerably lower-calcium waters than either the quagga or zebra mussel, which have caused quite a few problems across lakes and reservoirs in California, as well as in the Great Lakes region and in many other lakes across the United States.

Agricultural irrigation and power plant operations could also be significantly impeded, and if past mussel infestations are any indication, golden mussels could also severely affect boating and recreation by encrusting docks, engines and steering equipment.