Another year invasive mussel free for Okanagan lakes, says OASISS

Sampling from five lakes in the Okanagan Valley in 2023 showed no signs of invasive mussels.

The positive news comes on the heels of the Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society’s (OASISS) 11th year of monitoring local lakes for invasive mussels.

According to OASISS, the society collected 131 from five lakes across the valley in 2023.

The news wasn’t so great south of the border, where Idaho announced in September that invasive quagga mussels were confirmed in the Snake River.

“The discovery of invasive mussels so close to British Columbia reinforces the importance of monitoring and continuing our prevention efforts,” said Lisa Scott, executive director of OASISS.

“The arrival of invasive mussels would have lasting negative impacts to our lakes and rivers, as we have seen in other parts of Canada and the United States.”

While the discovery of invasive mussels in a tributary of the Columbia River in Idaho, just an 11-hour drive from the border, is concerning, OASISS says no invasive mussels have been detected in BC to date.

“OASISS recognizes the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation and the Province of BC for making significant financial contributions to support the invasive mussel monitoring project,” a statement from the society says.

“These lake monitoring efforts support the Province’s ongoing delivery of the Invasive Mussel Defence Program.”

Zebra and quagga mussels are non-native freshwater mollusks that originated in Eastern Europe and Western Russia, but were introduced to Canada in the late 1980s.

Since then, they have spread into lakes and waterways around North America, mainly via contaminated watercraft.

Once established in waterways, invasive mussels damage sensitive ecosystems, clog water intake pipes and water infrastructure, ruin beaches, reduce water quality and impact tourism.

OASISS encourages anyone travelling with a watercraft to clean, drain and dry their boat before entering a new body of water.