OUR GEM: Golden mussels, California's wake-up call for Idaho
Photo courtesy of Our Gem.
When California discovered golden mussels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in November 2024, resource managers immediately recognized the seriousness of the situation. Unlike many invasive species that take years to show their impacts, experts knew right away that this tiny freshwater mussel could create enormous ecological and economic problems.
Today, California is investing millions of dollars to protect critical water infrastructure from a species that is virtually impossible to eliminate once established. Their experience offers an important lesson for Idaho: preventing aquatic invasive species is far less expensive and far more effective than trying to control them after they arrive.
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