Some mussels aren’t so desirable

A pubic meeting will be held in Basalt Monday to discuss an invasive species affecting Ruedi Reservoir and other waterways.

The meeting to discuss Zebra and Quagga Mussels will be at 4:30 p.m. at Basalt Town Hall. The mussels are shellfish that are native to Central Asia and were introduced to the Great Lakes in the 1980s. They have been spreading throughout the country ever since. They have been detected in Lake Powell and other reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin.

“Although no adult mussels have been found in Colorado, larval forms have been detected as near as Blue Mesa Reservoir,” said Ruedi Water and Power Authority Director Mark Fuller in a statement. “Once the mussels get into a water body they reproduce prolifically and have detrimental impacts on the native food chain. They also cling to any hard surface and can cause significant damage to boats, docking facilities and any man-made infrastructure.

“Although no mussels have been found in Ruedi Reservoir, it is designated as a high risk location for infestation.” Fuller added.

The water and power authority has sponsored a boat inspection program at Ruedi since 2011. This year the program will run from Friday, May 27 through Labor Day Weekend.

Fuller will discuss the program at Monday’s meeting. A presentation will also be given by Elizabeth Brown, the invasive species coordinator for Colorado.

Contact Mark Fuller at 970-963-4959 or fulcon@comcast.net for more information.