So you hate mussel inspections, so do I. But here's why they do it.

San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County

http://www.imhooked.com/cgi-bin/forumsyabb/YaBB.pl?num=1259534149

I guess I can be a little more patient at Del Valle next time..

stole a couple pics too

seems like someone could find a use for those things.  Lemonade out of lemons kinda thing.

seems like someone could find a use for those things.  Lemonade out of lemons kinda thing.

Seriously!  I wonder how many places are planning that far ahead.  Or do they just think their inspections are bullet proof and will keep the mussels out.

The inspections are going to slow down the transportation, but what happens when they eventually end up in every lake because you know they will.  Will those lakes be off limits or will they be charging exorbitant rates to play on the water?

Sorry, this has probably been discussed in another thread somewhere.  Feel free to ignore.

Michael

I wonder how many places are planning that far ahead.  Or do they just think their inspections are bullet proof and will keep the muscles out.

I posed these very questions to the East Bay Regional Park District Park Supervisor of Operations, (say that 3 times fast) and the answer was "it's under discussion".

we'll be able to keep them out someday if we can get enough mussel sniffing dogs.

other then clogging pipes (most of the concern is with watershed lakes) is there a biological concern....like do the eat all the life in the lake and snuff out other species. I am assuming there are more then just clogged pipe issues.

It's theorized that mussels are responsible for the huge decline in Lake Huron's Steelhead/King Salmon populations: http://www.greatnorthernoutdoors.net/s-lakehuron1.htm

It's absolutely spooky standing on top of a bed of mussels that's at least 6" thick. And knowing that they coat the river for miles and miles...

Scott

other then clogging pipes (most of the concern is with watershed lakes) is there a biological concern....like do the eat all the life in the lake and snuff out other species. I am assuming there are more then just clogged pipe issues.

they are filter feeders so they can really wipe out the plankton food base that small baitfish depend on, which then affects bigger fish, etc etc.

The worst part of this deal is San Justo gets its water from elsewhere...the delta via San Luis Res, I think. So...?
I'd love to rent a boat and throw swimbaits for big bass in about 4 months though! There's some hogs in there.

I'd love to rent a boat and throw swimbaits for big bass in about 4 months though! There's some hogs in there.

You're assuming it will be reopened.

Michael

I'm originally from Michigan, where zebra mussels have invaded and proliferated like crazy.  Problem is they seem to have no natural predators in this new environement, so they are everywhere pretty darn quick.  Biggest effect is that they are terrifically efficient filter feeders, so they darn near wipe out the plankton that is at the base of the food chain.  Result is that the water is crystal-clear, which seems like a plus, but actually means there is little to eat for every critter on up the chain.  That means stunted natural fish populations and especially limited bait.  As far as I know, nobody's figured out how to control them yet--for sport fishery, the Michigan DNR has to rely more & more on put n take fishing.  Better than nothing, but nowhere near as fun as wild fish.

I wonder if sturgeon would eat them? Would be a win-win if planting sturgeon could wipe out the mussels.

One of the big problems with invasive species is that they have no predators so reproduce to the point of taking over completely and leaving no diversity of species.
Iceplant is a good example, it was introduced for erosion control. In a square foot of space, normally there would be over 100 species of plant growing, but in an area that has Iceplant, there are only a few and the food chain is broken for a huge number of plants and animals that depend on the diversity. Mussles that have no predators will make a home in every inch of space leaving no room or food for the hundreds of other species that normally occur. From Crawdads and juvie fish, to mosquito larvae and tadpoles.  Its a big growing problem, the "new" one is a kind of kelp that has found its was to the U.S. and its going to be headline news soon. Pythons and snakehead eels in FL, Asian Carp in the Mississippi R. system, mussles everywhere- and with the birds pooping the mussle eggs wherever they go, ???
I dont think the mussles would overpopulate an east coast body of water cause the common snapping turtle would rip them a new one, no "real" snapping turtles here..
my 3 cents...