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Officials ask Congress for help to rid Southwest of mussels

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 24, 2008 at 7:16 pm

From MyDesert.com:

California and Nevada water officials called on Congress Tuesday to act quickly to stop the spread of Quagga mussels that are threatening local waterways throughout the Southwest. “It’s significant. They grow very quickly,’’ said Ric De Leon, water systems operations manager for the Metropolitan Water District in Southern California, which includes Riverside County. “If they spread beyond where they are it will be costly.’’

De Leon and others testified about the invasion of the mussels at a hearing of the House Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Water and Power. Water authority officials complained that the Quagga, a thumb-sized mussel, can clog water pipes and facilities and wreak havoc on habitats.

The officials urged Congress to provide federal funding for more research, to develop a regional plan to address the problem and help agencies rid their water systems of the mussels. De Leon said his agency spends $10 million to $15 million a year to address the problem.

“We are coping with the problem – for the moment,’’ said Ronald Zegers, director of the Southern Nevada Water System, who called it the “most serious non- indigenous’’ pest introduced in North American freshwater systems.

Read more from MyDesert.com by clicking here.

June 24, 2008 · Filed Under Invasive Species

Comments

One Response to “Officials ask Congress for help to rid Southwest of mussels”

Ray Walker on June 25th, 2008 2:14 am

Not much point in offering a long term solution to Ms. Quagga mussel and the control of her annual million offspring.

CA has been offered a new fresh water Source of one million acre feet a year, a probable solution for the salmon disappearance, a solution to the water bottle nuisance and a reason to reconsider contaminating her aquifers with recycled effluent.

CA has no interest in simple investigations into reasonable solutions.

Elimination of Ms. Quagga when the time comes will be no exception.

Amazing how all of this could fit together….

WaterSource waterrdw@yahoo.com

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