Musseled out

Colorado seems to be winning the fight against the zebra mussel – for now. Recent water sampling shows no signs of the highly invasive species as of Nov. 1. The mussels and offspring (known as “veligers”) were first found in Highline Lake at Highline State Park Lake near Fruita in September 2022. They later were found to have migrated to the nearby Colorado River and Government Highline Canal. 

Native to Russia, zebra mussels can cause severe economic and ecological damage to bodies of fresh water. The snail-like mollusks reproduce rapidly and can move from lake to lake by attaching to boats. They were first confirmed in Lake Powell in March 2013. 

The discovery in Colorado led to quick action by CPW, which stepped up sampling, education and boat inspections along the Colorado River from Glenwood Springs to the Colorado-Utah border. Boaters are reminded to clean, dry and drain their watercraft and gear so as not to give the scurrilous hitchhikers a ride to other waterways.

CPW also drained Highline Lake as part of the eradication. The lake will stay empty through the winter to eliminate any remaining veligers or adult mussels. Inspections in early November turned up five adult mussels – all of which were dead.