Columbia Shuswap Invasive Species Society
Zebra and Quagga Mussels are not found among BC’s waterways and we all need to pitch in to keep it that way.
Courtesy of the Shuswap Watershed Council
So much of what we love about the Shuswap – the clean water, enjoying leisure time on a boat or paddleboard, and just spending moments along the water’s edge – is at risk because of small invasive fresh-water mussels called zebra and quagga mussels.
Zebra and quagga mussels originate in Europe, but have invaded several lakes and rivers in eastern and central North America and as far west as California. Fortunately, they don’t exist in the Shuswap or anywhere in British Columbia and we all need to pitch in to keep it that way.
Zebra and quagga mussels would have terrible impacts in the Shuswap for the following reasons:
- They cling to and will colonize on any underwater structure including boats, dock pilings, pipes, and more. This requires costly, challenging maintenance work to be done on an ongoing basis to clear these objects from their mussel colonies. It’s estimated this maintenance would be an expense to British Columbia property owners, tax-payers, and rate-payers of more than $43 million annually.
- They pollute water quality, putting the lake and drinking water at risk. When the mussels die, they give off a terrible stench and their razor-sharp shells wash up on beaches. They also stay forever as there’s no way to get rid of the mussels permanently once they are established in a lake. Plus, they reproduce prolifically. This means their effects get worse as time goes on.
Watercraft inspection stations are mandatory to stop at for all boats and watercraft.
So what can be done? Prevention is the only option and while it’s not difficult, it does require diligence on everyone’s part. Zebra and quagga mussels move from one lake to another on boats and boating equipment. Therefore, boaters must take the following steps to avoid bringing mussels to a new lake:
- Clean, drain and dry your boat, watercraft or trailer every time you take it out of a lake or river. You can clean all watercraft, trailers, or equipment (that includes waders and fishing gear) by removing plant material and mud; draining compartments and other items containing standing water by mopping up standing water with a chamois cloth; and ensure watercraft and equipment are dry before launching into another body of water.
- Stop at watercraft inspection stations. This is mandatory for boats and watercraft including kayaks, canoes, car-toppers, personal watercraft, paddleboards, and sailboats. If you pass an inspection station while travelling with a watercraft, you must stop.
In BC, watercraft inspection is done by the BC Conservation Officer Service. If you have arrived at the Shuswap from outside of BC and did not have your boat or watercraft inspected, please phone the provincial RAPP line at 1-877-952-RAPP (7277) or *7277 from a cell phone before you launch.
Whether you’re a visitor or a resident of the Shuswap, we thank-you for doing your part to keep invasive zebra and quagga mussels out.
The Shuswap Watershed Council is a watershed-based partnership that works on water quality and safe recreation in the Shuswap. For more information, contact Erin Vieira or Mike Simpson c/o the Fraser Basin Council in Kamloops at (250) 314-9660.