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Mussels found in three lakes

Published September 27, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Invasive mussels have been found in Grand Lake, Shadow Mountain Reservoir and Willow Creek Reservoir in the northern Colorado mountains, the Colorado Division of Wildlife said Friday.

Larvae of the zebra mussel and quagga mussel were found in Grand Lake, while larvae of the quagga mussel alone were found in Shadow Mountain and Willow Creek.

The three lakes are on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park about 60 miles northwest of Denver.

The barnacle-like mussels smother other aquatic organisms and compete with native species for food and habitat. Their massive colonies can plug pumps, pipes and outboard motors.

They spread by attaching themselves to boats or hard surfaces.

Associated Press

Comments

  • September 27, 2008

    3:23 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    fifty writes:

    Dandelions, cockroaches, mussels and humans are the weeds that have overcome the balancing act of nature. One of these, humans, keeps trying to control to no avail the overpopulation of the other three. Should we just acknowledge that there is a destructive aspect to nature?

  • September 27, 2008

    7:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    cedykeman1 writes:

    I understand the problem, but can we eat them?

  • September 27, 2008

    11:02 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    CZMD writes:

    Treat the bilge water in ships-- oh, it's too expensive? Then oceanic transport of goods is too expensive. Manufacture/consume locally.

    Want to go boating? Rent your boat from a marina. That way what's in the lake/river system stays in the lake river system. Cramps your sporting style? Then your sporting style is too expensive. Recreate locally.

    After all, like the right-wingers always say-- it's just the markets naturally adjusting to control problems. Invasive species are too expensive to allow-- therefore any lifestyle or trade network which spreads them is too expensive to allow. It's simple economics. Starvation will teach any dissidents eventually.