Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has taken proactive steps against invasive zebra mussels in the Colorado River, coordinating with a private landowner in western Eagle County to address an infested body of water, CPW reported. The threat posed by the invasive species to the environment and water infrastructure has propelled CPW and the landowner to begin treatment with a copper-based molluscicide, EarthTec QZ. "We are grateful for the continued collaboration with the private landowner," CPW’s Invasive Species Program Manager, Robert Walters, acknowledged, as per CPW.
The situation has led CPW staff to intensify their efforts, collecting samples not only from the infested lake but also from points all along the Colorado River and its tributaries to understand better the extent of the mussel's presence and despite their commitment to the task they realize there could be other established populations that remain undetected, Robert Walters indicated the uncertainty in a statement to the public. Since mid-April, CPW's rigorous sampling has resulted in 318 tests on the Colorado River, which revealed four samples containing zebra mussel veligers, and while no adult zebra mussels have been found in that river nor the Eagle and Roaring Fork rivers, the efforts persist, Walters told CPW.
Walters emphasized the difficulty in eradicating these invasive organisms, which underscores the importance of their prevention strategy, noting, "As we have seen, eradicating invasive mussels is extremely difficult, which is why we focus so heavily on preventing their introduction," as reported by CPW. Continuous sampling, from the headwaters to the state line, will remain a key component of CPW's strategy to combat the invasion. CPW's work is crucial in informing and curbing the spread of these invaders, which threaten native ecosystems and man-made structures alike.
