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Quaggas could lead to federal money for sewer improvements

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 30, 2008 at 6:00 am

From Lake Havasu’s Today’s News-Herald:

The infestation of quagga muscles in the Colorado River may be the key to getting federal money for sewers.

During Thursday’s meeting of the Colorado River Regional Sewer Coalition, CRRSCo lobbyist Terry Bracy said Congress has heard information about how the two water issues relate.

“Rep. (Grace) Napolitano, D-Calif., chaired a meeting of the Water and Power Subcommittee where Metropolitan Water District talked about the quagga muscle,” Bracy said via phone. “During that meeting we explained what we’re doing and we raised the question if the quagga food chain is influenced by nitrates.” Bracy said Bureau of Reclamation scientists confirmed that nitrates play a factor in the food chain of the invasive muscle. And that means CRSSCO is on the radar of more members of Congress, especially those whose districts are served by the Colorado River.

“The quagga is a hot issue and our relationship makes us a little hotter,” Bracy said.

The quagga mussel has already been found in Lake Mead, Lake Havasu, and Lake Mojave, as well as in the intake pipes for Metropolitan’s Colorado River Aqueduct & the Central Arizona Project.

Meanwhile CRSSCo officials – led by Lake Havasu City Mayor Mark Nexsen and Bullhead City Mayor Jack Hakim – will be making a trip to Washington D.C. next month to lobby support for a bill establishing ongoing federal funding for sewer work in communities along the river.

“We’re hoping to come away with sponsors for the bill,” Nexsen said. “Getting the Interior Department on board is one hurdle and the three water agencies have been very helpful in that regard.”

The proposed bill is the Southern Colorado River Quality Protection Act, which would require cooperative planning for water and wastewater systems along the lower Colorado River and the federal government to cost share in any facilities at a 65 percent level. Federal funding would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2004.

Read the full text of this article from Lake Havasu’s Today’s News-Herald by clicking here.

May 30, 2008 · Filed Under Invasive Species

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