The effort to keep invasive mussels out of B.C. waters is becoming more important than ever.
Whether zebra or quagga mussels, the small bivalves are a growing problem. They spread rapidly - a female can produce a million eggs each year - and attach themselves to almost any surface in the water.
That’s why West Kootenay residents will see watercraft-inspection stations at critical points along the side of the highway in a determined effort to keep the tiny molluscs out of local lakes and streams.
“Zebra and quagga mussels represent a serious threat to BC’s aquatic ecosystems and substantial economic impacts to sectors such as hydropower, agricultural irrigation, municipal water supplies, tourism and recreational boating.” says Martina Beck, Unit Head of Freshwater Applied Science and Programs with the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship in a release.
The Province’s Invasive Mussel Defence Program (IMDP) works to protect B.C. lakes and rivers through early-detection lake monitoring, watercraft inspection stations and public outreach.
Invasive mussels can damage vital resources, such as clog intakes for drinking and irrigation water systems, and hydroelectric turbines, reduce the availability of nutrients essential for aquatic life, and cause beaches and docks to become encrusted with shells.
According to the province, currently there is no evidence of either species in B.C. waterways.
However, four Canadian provinces: Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec are infested, as well as 33 states in the U.S., including Idaho just last year.
“Unfortunately, though, we can’t let our guard down, as many waterways in this region offer suitable conditions for these mussels to survive,” said Beck.
The Columbia River is one of the only major river systems in North America without invasive mussels.
However, in September 2023, quagga mussels were discovered in the Snake River near Twin Falls, Idaho, a tributary of the Columbia.
Drastic measures were taken. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture poured a copper-based chemical into the river to try to eradicate the mussels. Similar toxins have worked to kill mussels elsewhere, but this treatment was unprecedented in a major river.
The process was costly financially and for the ecosystem, impacting virtually every fish species, including its sturgeon population, invertebrates, amphibians, algae and plants within the 26-km targeted section of the Snake. Whether it worked, is still unknown.
If it were to spread to Washington, the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (a U.S.-Canadian nonprofit dedicated to addressing common issues and interests) estimates it would cost the Northwest $500 million a year to deal with it.
The Province of B.C. started the IMDP about 10 years ago and along with a renewed commitment from BC Hydro, and ongoing support from Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Power, FortisBC and others, have been diligently inspecting watercraft at inspection stations across the province.
In April, BC Hydro committed $900,000 per year for the next five years, while The Trust and Columbia Power each contributed $250,000. The BC Wildlife Federation, Pacific Salmon Foundation and Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation also provided a collective contribution of $150,000.
Their efforts contribute to continued monitoring of lakes and educating boaters on the vital importance of practicing “clean, drain, dry” on watercraft and equipment after every use.
If mussels were introduced into B.C. waters, the estimated cost of annual removal and management would cost up to $129 million per year, including a minimum of $17 million targeting hydro infrastructure.
The IMDP completed 20,900 inspections last year, and discovered 14 mussel-fouled watercrafts. Still, the monitoring of all samples from 83 priority waterbodies across the province tested negative for zebra or quagga mussels.
In the West Kootenay, the Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society (CKISS) tested water samples from 10 waterbodies from June to October in 2023 and all were free of any trace of zebra and quagga mussels.
The lakes included Upper and Lower Arrow, Kootenay, Duncan, Slocan, Summit, and Whatshan Lakes and Columbia, Kootenay, and Slocan Rivers.
The Society encourages all individuals bringing motorized or non-motorized watercraft into B.C. to contact the IMDP to determine if a boat is high-risk and should undergo inspection and potential decontamination before accessing B.C.’s lakes and rivers.
If you are transporting a watercraft, you must stop and report to all invasive mussel watercraft inspection stations along your travel route.
Watercraft includes sailboats, motorboats, car toppers, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards being transported in B.C.
Learn more at gov.bc.ca/invasivemussels.
