AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES(water-associated organisms)

Non-native (exotic) Uncontrollable Ecologic & Economic Harm

UTAH’S AIS

PATHOGENS Whirling Disease Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia

FUNGUS & ALGAE Chytrid Didymo

UTAH’S AIS

PLANTS Phragmites Tamarisk Purple Loosestrife Eurasian Water Milfoil Curly Pond Weed

MOLLUSKS New Zealand Mud Snail Red-rimmed Melania Asian Clam Non-native Crayfish Dreissena Mussels

QuaggaZebraConrad’s False

UTAH’S AIS

FISH Mosquito Fish Burbot Gizzard Shad Other non-native fish

AMPHIBIANS Bullfrog Green Frog Plains Leopard Frog Rio Grande Leopard Frog

UTAH’S AIS

REPTILES Red-eared Slider New Mexico Whiptail

OTHER Discarded Aquarium

Fauna or Flora

(e.g. gold fish) Aqua-scaping Bait Releases Private Aquaculture

Utah’s AIS Task ForcePrepare a Mgmt Plan

UDWR (chair) DNR (SP&R, Water Resources)

UT Dept Ag DEQ USFWS USFS BLM NPS BOR URMCC Water Conservancy Districts UT Angler Assoc. Industry Water Users

UDWR’s Team Aquatic Coordinator Outreach Coordinator 5 AIS Biologists 22 Wildlife Technicians 5 Conservation Officers

$1.64 Million/yr

Dreissena Mussel Example

Quagga, Zebra & Conrad’s False

A Threat To Utah

“forever keep them out” or

“forever live with them”

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Dreissena Spread Rapidly

Native to Russia--spread throughout Europe Arrived St. Lawrence Seaway mid 1980s Spread: Great Lakes, Canada & U.S.

Mississippi River Basin to New Orleans

East & Mid West US (100th Meridian) January 2007 Arrived Western U.S.

Lower Colorado River

* Mead (NV)

* Mohave (AZ)

* Havasu (CA) Lake Powell, August 07

Map

Understanding Dreissena Mussels Invasive, non-native Quagga, Zebra & Conrad’s False

Species much alike (two-shelled – like a clam) Sexual Reproduction via Spawning (3 mm)

1,000,000 veligers per year Colonies can be 12” deep Quagga are a greater problem

colder, deeper & soft substrates Quagga displaces Zebra Adult: Zebra = 12 mm; Quagga = 20 mm Larvae: Veligers = microscopic to sand grain sized

DREISSENA ECONOMIC IMPACTS

Maintenance Perspective

Typical Maintenance Expenditures in the East 51% electric generation (steam & hydro) 31% water treatment 18% industrial & other water users

East: maintenance @ $100 million/year West: maintenance @ $10 million/year

Utah: estimated to exceed $15 million/year $3.2 million--electric generation (steam & hydro)—63 plants) $7.2 million--water treatment—30 plants $4.4 million—industrial & other water users $?? million--pipelines (1,120 miles) & canals (4,573 miles)

DREISSENA ECONOMIC IMPACTS

Recreational Expenditure Perspective

Nationally: anglers expend $40 billion annuallyUtah: anglers expend $708 million annuallyReduced angler participation may occur:

Decreased fish condition (length & weight)Fish die offs due to blue-green algae bloomsSpecies change to less desirable speciesDeteriorated recreational satisfaction

OdorSharp shellsRisk to equipment (overheat engines)

Dreissena Environmental Impacts

They Are Filter Feeders: Remove plankton, removing fish food

Filter volume of Lake Erie in 36 hours!!

Feces Cause High Coliform Counts Pseudo Feces Rots

Smell Oxygen depletion Blue-green algae, which releases toxin

Stimulate Avian Botulism

When Fish Chow Disappears Lake Michigan

Lake Trout declined 95% in 10 years--WHY?

Utah’s Waters

*Plankton decrease Likely

*Species change Likely

*Decreased “K” (length & weight) Likely

*Loss of native mollusks Likely

Veligers Drift Downstream Trailered Boats

Infested to non-infested waters Failure to Drain bilge Failure to Drain live wells Failure to Dry (5 days in UT) Failure to Remove plants or

animals Failure to Wash w/HOT water

How Mussels Move

RISKSLarge commercial boats

(huge risk)Owner-pulled boats (less risk)

Dreissena Became A Western U.S. Problem

January 2007 Quagga Lower Colorado River

Lake Mead Lake Mohave Lake Havasu Colorado River NV Fish Hatchery CA Reservoir (Copper Basin)

Dreissena Now a Utah Problem

Top 20 destinations of Lake Mead boaters #3 Lake Powell #11 Pineview Reservoir #12 Bear Lake #14 Willard Bay #19 Jordanelle Reservoir

August 2007– veligers detected in Lake Powell 29% of Utah’s Boaters Use Lake Powell Where Do Lake Powell Boaters Go In Utah ?

EVERY WHERE

IMPACTS: Industrial PlantsLots of Industries in Utah Use Water Constricted water intakes Constricted water circulation systems Increased:

biologic load corrosion plant operation costs

IMPACTS: PipelinesOver 1,120 miles of pipelines in Utah Greatly reduced flow capacity

Its not just on the outside; its inside, too 2ND Water Systems: plugged--pipes & sprinklers Increased maintenance cost ????

IMPACTS: CanalsOver 4,573 miles of canals in Utah Open-channel flow capacity reduced

Earth-lined: 24% less flow Concrete-lined: 52% less flow

Increased maintenance cost ????

IMPACTS: Reservoirs150 reservoirs @100+ ac (Storage & Recreation) Seasonal Water Level Changes = routine

Die Offs (fish & waterfowl) Deteriorated water quality & odor Difficult beach use: clean up $$$$

Increased maintenance cost ????

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH DREISSENASuccessful Mussel Prevention Example Minnesota: Land of 10,000 Lakes

20 years exposure: commercial & recreation vessels

4 lakes & Mississippi River infested Effective Aquatic Nuisance Species Plan

Emphasis on public education & awareness 12 full-time employees 45 summer watercraft inspectors Illegal drive w/any mussel $2.3 million annual budget

Emergency Responses in Utah: NPS

NPS Initiated Self-Certification at Lake Powell Education & Outreach

Media Coverage “Zap the Zebra” brochures Entry warning signs Self-certification Interdictions Decontamination Containment ????

Monitoring & Research Training (UDWR & SP&R and others)

Emergency Response in Utah: UDWRDNR Policy: Prevent Invasion of Dreissena Mussel UDWR: Lead State Agency

Inter-state & Interagency Coordination Quagga Education & Implementation Plan

Education & Outreach Statewide: Media Coverage Statewide: 250,000 “Zap the Zebra” brochures

(Included all 65,000 UT Boat Owners) Statewide: 1,500 boat launch signs Statewide: 4,500 posters Statewide: sportsmen/agency lectures

Interdiction Decontamination of Equipment

Containment ???? Monitoring & Research Training (UDWR & SP&R and Others)

Utah’s AIS Future

I. Maintain Sufficient Budget: FY08 $1,106,500 FY09 $1,640,000II. Secure Legislation for an Interdiction ActIII. Write AIS Management PlanIV. Be Vigilant

……………………..……………………..Memmorandum From: UDWRTo: Aquatic Invasive SpeciesSubject: Watch Out, We’re Coming!