Latest news with #zebramussel
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
CPW says clean boats make for happy lakes
DENVER (KDVR) – If you were a vessel inland, far from the roaring waves of the grand ocean, being in a place like Colorado with all those lakes and reservoirs would indeed be a fine thing. But there is one passenger you would not want to come aboard. The zebra mussel. View the latest Weather Alerts in Denver and across Colorado on FOX31 'They are an extremely prolific reproducer. A single zebra mussel can produce up to thirty thousand juveniles in a single spawn. Once they become attached they are extremely difficult to remove. They filter out plankton from the water which is the basis of our aquatic food chain,' said Robert Walters, Colorado Parks and Wildlife invasive species program manager. The zebra mussel and its buddy, the quagga mussel, are not wanted in Colorado. That is why the CPW has set up 77 boat cleaning stations throughout the state. The problem with these invasive species is so bad that last year, CPW had to completely drain Highline Lake near Grand Junction to get rid of the invaders. 'This is absolutely a huge problem. Once they become established, they can restrict or completely impede the flow of water, resulting in millions of dollars and ongoing maintenance costs,' said Walters. It's not just zebra and quagga mussels that are the problem. There are dozens of other non-indigenous species that are doing harm as well. Colorado Parks and Wildlife hosting Free Fishing Weekend CPW says brushing and cleaning your boat after each use is the key. 'That would be very effective. These species are really not able to move themselves from water body to water body,' said Walters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CTV News
17-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Motorized watercraft banned on Clear Lake
Due to the ongoing zebra mussel problem, motorboats are banned on Clear Lake this summer.
