Oregon wildlife officials say they detected invasive Quagga mussels on a boat traveling from Arizona over the weekend, but were able to remove them before they entered Oregon’s waterways.
The invasive Quagga mussels were found on a boat traveling from Lake Havasu, Arizona, and removed at the Ashland Boat Inspection station on Saturday. It’s the first invasive mussels that have been found in the state this year.
Quagga Mussels can damage power infrastructure and ecosystems. Oregon law requires boat operators to stop at inspection stations.
Last year the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife decontaminated 12 boats, but has not detected the mussels in any of Oregon waterways yet.
The Ashland I-5 and Ontario I-84 inspection stations are available year round. Seasonal inspection stations in Brookings, Klamath Falls, Umatilla and at the Owyhee Reservoir will open the first week of May. Roaming inspection crews will also be visiting boat ramps across the state.
Anyone who suspects they've found Quagga mussels on their watercraft or in a waterway should report the contamination on ODFW's website.