Zebra Mussels

[SunriseH2OSkier]

I wonder if they eat Milfoil?

Unfortunately no. We had milfoil in our channel long before the zebra muscles, the zebra muscles have not really had any noticeable effect (positive or negative) on it. They just cling to rocks/boats/docks and feed on particles/organisms in the water, not on plants.

Interestingly, the milfoil has a serious 'shrinkage' problem in cold water. In the spring and late fall, you can look down into the water on a sunny day and see the bottom clear as can be - not a weed to be seen. But the root system is definitely there. Once the water warms up, look out - that stuff grows incredibly fast. And every time a prop cuts the tops of the weeds off, it falls to the bottom and takes root again, making it very difficult to control.

Thankfully, the milfoil has not spread to the main body of the lake. I don't really understand why - milfoil has been present for a long time here - at least 10 years, maybe 15. For whatever reason, it hasn't migrated out of the channel. (Knocking furiously on wood ).

[NorCaliBu]

...Thankfully, the milfoil has not spread to the main body of the lake. I don't really understand why - milfoil has been present for a long time here - at least 10 years, maybe 15. For whatever reason, it hasn't migrated out of the channel. (Knocking furiously on wood ).

Probably a water depth issue. It has a fairly narrow depth range (at least it does here). Adequate sunlight needs to reach the bottom for it to grow. On our lake it grows fairly thick in the back cove ( where the slalom course is ) and that water is 8 - 12 feet deep but it doesn't grow out on the main body of the lake where depths are 20 - 30 feet.

[krward]

I have never heard of them until the other night on the news. I have a houseboat at Powell and the park officials are nervous because they have now found zebra's in Mead, Havasu, and Mohave. According to the local news (www.ksl.com) park officials are going to start requiring boats to be pressure washed with hot water before launching and after loading. From what people on this site are saying, it would seem the bigger problem is the water that stays inside our cooling systems and bilge??

[Sixball]

I don't think they can live in cooling system. Hot temps no light. I do all my own maintenance and have never found any signs of zebras in a cooling system. Our lake has had them now for 9 years at least.

We believe zebras and milfoil should be harvested and feed to inmates. Hi protein cheep diet. Ok you can boil it and make it a soup. I keep a pontoon in the water and yes they do attach and thrive on the toons. I scrape 2/3 of a large wheelbarrow every fall. The lake looks cleaner but the weeds go deeper. In Michigan.

[Romi]

Here is a hand out we got at an inpection station on the 40 fwy just before needles. The were checking all trucks, boats, and trailers.

[gooddog]

Seems like it could be a big problem if these critters were able to get into your ballast bags/tanks. That would be an ideal place for them to hitch a ride to another lake.

[funkcity]

Anyone bringing a boat into California from anywhere east of and including the Colorado river chain will be inspected.

This will be a mess for all concerned about getting home after a stay at Mead, Havasu, Parker... the Colo River in general.

So far Lake Powell does NOT seem to have them! They are up river.

[UWSkier]

Anyone bringing a boat into California from anywhere east of and including the Colorado river chain will be inspected.

This will be a mess for all concerned about getting home after a stay at Mead, Havasu, Parker... the Colo River in general.

So far Lake Powell does NOT seem to have them! They are up river.

If they're in the system, they'll make their way to Powell...

[LS-One]

Here is a hand out we got at an inpection station on the 40 fwy just before needles. The were checking all trucks, boats, and trailers.

I got a letter in the mail from the Department of Boating and Waterways on Saturday discussing these.

[stewart]

Here is a hand out we got at an inpection station on the 40 fwy just before needles. The were checking all trucks, boats, and trailers.

I got a letter in the mail from the Department of Boating and Waterways on Saturday discussing these.

[Malibudude]

Here is a hand out we got at an inpection station on the 40 fwy just before needles. The were checking all trucks, boats, and trailers.

I got a letter in the mail from the Department of Boating and Waterways on Saturday discussing these.

[Romi]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

[Greg_S]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

[MoonDawg]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

The Waynes Word link recommended a flush with 5% bleach.

Man maybe those mussles are what I have clogging up my Sinus Cavity

[LS-One]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

The Waynes Word link recommended a flush with 5% bleach.

Man maybe those mussles are what I have clogging up my Sinus Cavity

Mussel boogers, what a visual.

[stewart]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

I guess just drain the best you can. Maybe try to drain while its on the trailer jsut to see if the different angle gets more out. It also mentioned maybe not using the boat for 5 days

Interesting link www.dfg.ca.gov/quaggamussel

[D-GOOSE]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

I guess just drain the best you can. Maybe try to drain while its on the trailer jsut to see if the different angle gets more out. It also mentioned maybe not using the boat for 5 days

Interesting link www.dfg.ca.gov/quaggamussel

I was thinking you could dump a little bleach in the tanks. Sounds like this will be state wide in no time.

[Faceplant409]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

I guess just drain the best you can. Maybe try to drain while its on the trailer jsut to see if the different angle gets more out. It also mentioned maybe not using the boat for 5 days

Interesting link www.dfg.ca.gov/quaggamussel

I bet those little ba$tards can live from Sunday afternoon until Saturday morning in an inch of ballast water....

I wonder if we dump a bunch of them in (un) Clear Lake it would get better???

p

[funkcity]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

I guess just drain the best you can. Maybe try to drain while its on the trailer jsut to see if the different angle gets more out. It also mentioned maybe not using the boat for 5 days

Interesting link www.dfg.ca.gov/quaggamussel

I bet those little ba$tards can live from Sunday afternoon until Saturday morning in an inch of ballast water....

I wonder if we dump a bunch of them in (un) Clear Lake it would get better???

It WILL make it clear. Lake St Clair in Michigan was VERY dirty. Now you can see very clearly to the bottom 10 feet or more down.

The irony here is that you could not pay enough money to clean the Great Lakes.

But these little guys actually did it!!

[mrothwell]

Question: What about our ballast? There is always a little bit of water in them. How do we address that?

I guess just drain the best you can. Maybe try to drain while its on the trailer jsut to see if the different angle gets more out. It also mentioned maybe not using the boat for 5 days

Interesting link www.dfg.ca.gov/quaggamussel

I bet those little ba$tards can live from Sunday afternoon until Saturday morning in an inch of ballast water....

I wonder if we dump a bunch of them in (un) Clear Lake it would get better???

It WILL make it clear. Lake St Clair in Michigan was VERY dirty. Now you can see very clearly to the bottom 10 feet or more down.

The irony here is that you could not pay enough money to clean the Great Lakes.

But these little guys actually did it!!

that's one shallow lake. I usually set the alarm on my depth gage to 10 ft.

[Malibudude]

Sounds like a possible whole Lake Davis all over again.

[stewart]

This is incredible......

During a Striper Derby on Lake Havasu last Sunday one of the anglers hooked a rod and reel some fishing fan lost a few months ago. A rod and reel covered in quagga mussels. STORY

[woody]

This is incredible......

During a Striper Derby on Lake Havasu last Sunday one of the anglers hooked a rod and reel some fishing fan lost a few months ago. A rod and reel covered in quagga mussels. STORY

Those quagga mussels sound like they could really take over a waterway. If those things are found in the Cali aquaduct it's over.

[bigD]

Damn Quagga Mussels

[Hack]

This is incredible......

During a Striper Derby on Lake Havasu last Sunday one of the anglers hooked a rod and reel some fishing fan lost a few months ago. A rod and reel covered in quagga mussels. STORY

That damn bug at the bottom of your post had me swatting at the screen again.