Snake River quagga mussel monitoring is an ongoing effort, state officials say

Mia Maldonado, Idaho Capital Sun

TWIN FALLS (Idaho Capital Sun) — Idaho State Department of Agriculture officials announced precocious past period that they would soon statesman monitoring for quagga mussel larvae.

Quagga mussel larvae sampling will statesman erstwhile conditions are safe and h2o temperatures scope from 14 to 26 degrees Celsius—the temperatures successful which reproduction occurs. 

Department officials are prepared to double their sampling efforts crossed Idaho to further forestall nan dispersed of nan invasive species, according to a May 24 property release.

After $3M effort, Idaho officials dream they killed disconnected invasive quagga mussels successful Snake River

The monitoring effort traces backmost to September 2023, erstwhile nan Department confirmed nan beingness of nan type successful nan Snake River adjacent Twin Falls. The pursuing month, authorities officials treated nan affected information of nan stream pinch Natrix, a copper-based chemical. The curen was a $3 cardinal effort that resulted successful impermanent halts successful h2o recreation and nan decease of thousands of food successful nan Twin Falls area of nan river, nan Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.

“We cognize doing thing would person costs america a batch more,” Idaho Department of Agriculture Director Chanel Tewalt antecedently said. 

State officials person many times said quagga mussels are a awesome threat to Idaho. The invasive type tin quickly dispersed and clog pipes that present h2o for drinking, energy, agriculture and recreation. The mussels are a highly competitory type that tin besides disrupt food populations and wildlife habitat.

Water entree changes, inspection information 

Water entree from Pillar Falls to Twin Falls Dam remains closed until further notice. According to nan property release, nan location is simply a captious location to measure curen effect because of nan find of an big mussel adjacent a Shoshone Falls excavation anterior to past fall’s treatment.

Water entree betwixt Broken Bridge and Pillar Falls is accessible only during Centennial Park operating hours. All watercraft — including boats, kayaks, paddleboards and different devices — entering nan stream betwixt Broken Bridge and Pillar Falls must extremity astatine nan Centennial Waterfront Park inspection position earlier and aft accessing nan water.

Department watercraft inspections and decontaminations are free to nan public. Inspection stations passim nan authorities stay operating and mandatory for those transporting watercraft.