Quagga Mussels

August 12, 2021

Question: I thought I saw a mussel-smelling dog checking boats in San Luis Obispo County. Have Quagga mussels made their way to the Central Valley?

Answer: We can happily report that CDFW has not detected any new mussel infestations in the Central Valley — thanks to boaters taking action to “clean, drain and dry” their watercraft, and early-detection monitoring by water managers. The only known infestation in the Central Valley, an infestation of zebra mussels, occurred in 2008. Many Central Valley water managers are actively implementing mussel prevention programs to screen watercraft for mussels. CDFW advises boaters to call destinations ahead of their arrival for information on launch requirements. CDFW does maintain a contact list of watercraft inspection programs (PDF)(opens in new tab) to assist boaters, but we can’t guarantee that it’s comprehensive. Additionally, we’re not sure about the dog you saw, but it may have been a private K9 service that contracts with local agencies.