It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week! For Lake Mead, the quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis) comes to mind! This is especially true for boaters and sit-in kayakers, who are required to get an Aquatic Invasive Species sticker for their watercraft every year. Why all the concern over a tiny little aquatic hitchhiker? These mussels reproduce at prolific rates, can survive out of water, and can heavily damage the surfaces they attach to, including boat parts, water intakes, and power plants. They’re also quite sharp, so they can easily cut your hands or feet.
What can you do to help stop the spread of this invasive species? Primarily, you should CLEAN your boat, trailer, and any personal gear before leaving the ramp or parking lot, DRAIN your ballast tanks, bilge, live wells, and engines to remove standing water, and allow for 5-7 days to DRY anything you’ve rinsed.
You can also come see the flip flop featured in this post, it lives here at the Lake Mead Visitor Center!
NPS Photo/C. Mooney
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