Controlling quagga mussels in California lakes an important topic at annual conference
Controlling quagga mussels and zebra mussels in California lakes and reservoirs tops the agenda at annual lake management conference.
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif. – Controlling quagga mussels and their cousins, zebra mussels, will be a key topic at an upcoming gathering of lake management professionals at Big Bear Lake, Calif. The annual California Lake Management Society (CALMS) conference will feature a quagga mussel and zebra mussel inspection workshop. The workshop is designed to train and certify lake managers overseeing invasive mussel inspection programs.
Quagga mussels have been detected in 31 lakes and reservoirs in California, according to data obtained from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Like zebra mussels, quagga mussels can easily move from one body of water to another by hitching rides on boats. California border inspection stations have detained 1,619 vessels with invasive mussels over the past decade, but quagga mussels threaten more than the state’s reputation as a boater’s paradise. Their arrival in reservoirs that supply water to Southern California’s 23.77 million residents is also a major concern.
“Controlling quagga mussels and zebra mussels in lakes and reservoirs is critical to California’s water security,” said Dr. David Hammond, Lead Scientist for Earth Science Laboratories. “Boat inspections are a good first line of defense, but additional measures are needed to protect our aqueducts and water treatment plants against infestations when inspections fail.”
Hammond, a graduate of UC Berkeley and longtime California resident, is a leading expert on quagga mussels and zebra mussels. He will be on hand at the CALMS annual conference to discuss products such as EarthTec® QZ for the eradication and control of quagga mussels and zebra mussels. He will also be available to discuss the newly launched Zebra Mussel Emergency Response Program. The program is effective on zebra mussels and quagga mussels.
More information on the CALMS annual conference can be found at
http://www.california-lakes.org/Conference-Information/calms-2017-conference.
Earth Science Laboratories Inc. manufactures advanced water treatment products. EarthTec QZ is an EPA registered molluscicide for controlling zebra mussels and quagga mussels in open waters and in pipelines. It is NSF Certified to ANSI Standard 60 as an additive to drinking water. Visit earthtecqz.com to learn more about the Zebra Mussel Emergency Response Program.