The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
50°F
Current Conditions
Clear sky
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

Outdoors blog

  1. Blogs
  2. Outdoors blog
  3. Invasive mussels may have moved into Missouri River, Montana tests indicate

Invasive mussels may have moved into Missouri River, Montana tests indicate

In this July 6, 2009 file photo, Andrew Munoz, of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, holds up a rock covered with the invasive quagga mussels at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nev. A regional power planning group from Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Montana is pursuing $2 million from the federal government to help fend off the menace of invasive mussels that have clogged Colorado River reservoirs since 2007. These states and others say they're frustrated by the number of boats that continue to come from Lake Mead in Nevada and Arizona over their borders infested with quagga and zebra mussels. (AP / Felicia Fonseca)
In this July 6, 2009 file photo, Andrew Munoz, of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, holds up a rock covered with the invasive quagga mussels at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nev. A regional power planning group from Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Montana is pursuing $2 million from the federal government to help fend off the menace of invasive mussels that have clogged Colorado River reservoirs since 2007. These states and others say they're frustrated by the number of boats that continue to come from Lake Mead in Nevada and Arizona over their borders infested with quagga and zebra mussels. (AP / Felicia Fonseca)

INVASIVE SPECIES -- An aquatic invasive species may have moved into the Missouri River, according to preliminary testing in Montana.

The Daily Inter Lake reports that additional lab work is needed to confirm the detection, but preliminary results from a water sample taken south of Townsend may indicate there are mussel larvae south of Canyon Ferry Reservoir in the Missouri River.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Greg Lemon said Monday that additional testing is needed to confirm whether the larvae were from zebra or quagga mussels, two species if invasive mussel known to aggressively multiply, causing costly damage to aquatic ecosystems and infrastructure.

The finding comes after mussel larvae were confirmed for the first time in Montana waters at Tiber Reservoir two weeks ago.

Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

Follow Rich online:

Go to the full Outdoors page