Drees, L.R., 1996. The Western Zebra Mussel Task Force, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

Reprinted from "Zebra Mussels and Other Aquatic Nuisance Species." Ed. by Frank D'itri, Ann Arbor Press, 1996.

INTRODUCTION
The zebra mussel, (Dreissena polymorpha) has rapidly spread across much of the eastern United States and Canada. This nuisance exotic has cost municipal and industrial water facilities millions of dollars to control. Native freshwater mussel populations are being decimated by zebra mussels (Biggins, 1992; Haag et al., 1993). Their cumulative impact on aquatic ecosystem has yet to be quantified. Most experts believe that in the absence of effective preventative measures, the spread of the zebra mussel throughout North America is inevitable. With the exception of Oklahoma, States, and Provinces west of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas have not yet been impacted by the zebra mussel invasion. The scarcity of water in the west makes water delivery systems and aquatic systems particularly vulnerable to zebra mussel fouling. For example, many westerners rely on canals, diversion systems, and dams built by the Bureau of Reclamation to deliver water for a variety of needs. Tens of thousands of miles of canals provide an ideal habitat for zebra mussel colonization. In the event that zebra mussels can establish, the probability of reducing the quality or quantity of limited water resources could be devastating to agricultural, industrial and recreational interests. (F. Nibling, Bureau of Reclamation, Personal Communication, 1995)

Entire Paper
Contact: L.R. Drees, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 315 Houston St., Suite E, Manhattan, KS 66502
Keywords: Zebra_mussel, Environmental_impacts, Prevention
Product Type: Publication, Report, Impact
User Type: Industrial and Municipal