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Quagga mussels: It only takes one to wreak havoc on Lake Tahoe

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 1, 2008 at 7:16 am

From the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza. this editorial:

It’s difficult to overstate how damaging quagga or zebra mussels could be if they infiltrate Lake Tahoe. Imagine the beautiful beaches encrusted with shells so sharp that it makes a sunset stroll impossible. Boaters would find their favorite recreation ruined, as the mussels clogged their feed lines and engines and created drag on the hull. Anglers would no longer be able to fish, as the mussels would destroy the lake’s food chain.

And after the quagga and zebra mussels ruined the beaches, boats and life in the lake, it would destroy the water itself. As the fast filtering creatures increased lake clarity, sunlight would penetrate deeper into the water, creating algae blooms that could give then lake an unpleasant odor and color. The mussels have never been successfully eradicated from a large body of water.

In short, it would be devastating.

The editorial calls for mandatory boat inspections, as opposed to the voluntary inspections currently underway.

Read the full text of this editorial from the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza by clicking here.

June 1, 2008 · Filed Under Invasive Species

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