Zebra mussel. Photo-USGS.

The Volunteer Zebra Mussel Monitoring Program coordinated through Portland State University allows people to become involved in the important task of early detection of zebra mussels and quagga mussels as they expand their range westward.

Preventing the spread of zebra mussels to the Columbia River and its associated waterways in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming is the primary objective of the Zebra Mussel Monitoring Network coordinated by the Center for Lakes & Reservoirs.

The Zebra Mussel Monitoring Network coordinates volunteers throughout the West who have access to lakes and rivers. Volunteers are provided a PVC substrate to hang on their docks and monitor for zebra mussel colonization. Monthly reply cards are submitted by volunteers to the Aquatic Nuisance Species Volunteer Coordinator at the Center for Lakes & Reservoirs to indicate signs of colonization. If there is a positive sighting, authorities are alerted and further steps are taken to determine the extent of colonization.

For additional information about becoming a volunteer please contact Steve Wells, Zebra Mussel Volunteer Monitoring Coordinator at 503-725-9076 or invasivespecies@pdx.edu