Quagga mussels and aquatic invasive species
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Don’t move a mussel – NOW it’s
the LAW
New state regulations to help prevent the
spread of quagga mussels and zebra mussels went
into effect in March 2010. The department conducted a series of public meetings and a webcast in January 2010 (click on the photo at left to view the webcast) to describe the proposed Directors Orders and solicit comment. It is critical for anyone who uses watercraft, or has a business reliant on watercraft, to understand the essential nature of this aquatic invasive species containment effort. The spread of quagga mussels has far-reaching impacts, both financial and ecological, that can touch virtually every resident of the state.
Boaters in Arizona have done a good job so far of voluntarily practicing “clean, drain and dry,” along with waiting five days before visiting another lake,” said Tom McMahon, invasive species coordinator with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “Now Arizona has Directors Orders in effect requiring boaters to follow those practices at lakes known to have quagga mussels.” Below are the Arizona Game and Fish Department Director’s Orders (signed, approved and filed with the Secretary of State as of March 1, 2010): Director’s Order 1 - List of aquatic invasive species (AIS):
Director’s Order 2 - List of AIS affected waters:
Click here to see the complete Director's Order 2 [PDF, 60kb] Director's Order 3 - Mandatory Conditions for Movement The mandatory conditions differ for Day Users (watercraft in listed AIS affected waters for 5 days or less) and Long Term or Moored Watercraft (watercraft in listed AIS Affected Waters for more than 5 days). Click here to see the complete Director's Order 3 [PDF, 105kb] Decontamination Protocols
Quagga mussel and aquatic invasive species resource information
Frequently Asked Questions What are quagga or zebra mussels?
Where did quagga or zebra mussels come from? Quagga mussels are native to the Dneiper River drainage of the Ukraine. Zebra mussels are native to the Caspian, Black, and Azov seas of Eastern Europe. These exotic mussels were first discovered in the United States in Lake Saint Clair, Michigan, in 1988 and are believed to have been introduced in 1986 through ballast water discharge from ocean-going ships. Since their initial discovery, zebra mussels have spread rapidly throughout the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin states and other watersheds throughout the eastern and central United States. Quagga mussels have not spread as extensively. How did these invasive
mussels get to Lake Mead? The invasive mussels found in Lake Mead in 2007 were 1,000 miles farther west than any other known colony of zebra mussels at the time. The primary method of overland dispersal of these mussels is through human-related activities. Given their ability to attach to hard surfaces and survive out of water for extended periods, many infestations have occurred by adult mussels hitching rides on watercraft. The microscopic larvae also can be transported in bilges, ballast water, live wells, or any other equipment that holds water. They are primarily planktonic feeders. One individual mussel can filter up to a liter of water per day through their siphon. Why should we be
concerned about these mussels? These mussels are filter feeders that consume large portions of the microscopic plants and animals that form the base of the food web. The removal of significant amounts of phytoplankton from the water can cause a shift in native species and a disruption of the ecological balance of the lake. These mussels often settle in massive colonies that can block water intake and affect municipal water supply and agricultural irrigation and power plant operation. In the United States, Congressional researchers estimated that zebra mussels alone cost the power industry $3.1 billion in the 1993-1999 period, with their impact on industries, businesses, and communities more than $5 billion. Mussels were only found in one area of Lake Mead. How can that become a problem? These invasive mussels can live for three to five years and can release 30,000 to 40,000 fertilized eggs in a breeding cycle and one million fertilized eggs in a year. Do these mussels
have any predators? What can I do to
help?
Quagga mussels and aquatic invasive species (2010).
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Quagga mussels were first
found in Arizona in Lake Mead in January of
2007. They originally came from Eurasia and
became established in the Great Lakes in the
1980s. Since being discovered, these prolific
invaders have spread rapidly. A single adult
quagga mussel can produce a half-million larvae
in a single year. They colonize rapidly on hard
surfaces and can ruin boat motors and clog water
intake structures, such as pipes and screens,
thereby impacting pumping capabilities for power
and water treatment plants. Invasive mussels
such as quaggas and the closely related zebra
mussels have cost industries and businesses in
the Midwest hundreds of millions of dollars in
maintenance and damage repair.
