Colorado Parks and Wildlife Continues Monitoring for Zebra Mussels in the Colorado River
By Ali Longwell, Summit Daily
Despite conducting extensive sampling along the Colorado River, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials have not found any further evidence of zebra mussels in the state.
In early July, the wildlife agency discovered zebra mussel veligers, the larvae of the species, near Grand Junction and the Government Highline Canal. However, no adult zebra mussels were detected.
Rob Harris, the water resources section manager for Parks and Wildlife, mentioned at a recent Colorado Water Conservation Board meeting that no additional adults or veligers have been found since July. While this is positive news, it has also made it challenging to determine the cause and source of the original discovery.
Zebra mussels are an invasive species with a high reproductive rate, posing a significant threat to Colorado’s ecological balance, according to Parks and Wildlife.
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