The battle against invasive species doesn’t take time off

As record temperatures sweep across Utah, you will find residents flocking to the state's many reservoirs, lakes and streams looking to beat the heat and enjoy some of our many recreational activities. Joining them last week were scientists from Reclamation's Water Quality Group, not on any well-earned vacation, but to collect water samples and other water quality data related to Reclamation's Aquatic Invasive Species early detection and monitoring program. The program is a joint effort between Reclamation and Utah's Department of Natural Resources.

The AIS program is designed to limit the spread of invasive species, most notably quagga and zebra mussels, here in Utah. The monitoring program tracks the spread of invasive species, with the goal of detecting the early stages of an infestation. Currently, all sampled reservoirs in Utah (except for Lake Powell) are free of quagga and zebra mussels. The monitoring program confirms that reservoirs remain mussel-free. Along with monitoring, the state of Utah conducts outreach efforts to inform the public and operates inspection and decontamination stations.

"Invasive mussels threaten the ecological health of water bodies and cause billions of dollars in damage each year," said Reclamation Civil Engineer Alex Walker. "Monitoring helps us get a better understanding of how mussels spread, assess effects of prevention programs, and ensure that the water bodies we visit remain mussel-free."

Monitoring is accomplished through the collection and analysis of water samples and other scientific data from Reclamation reservoirs. On July 11, Reclamation scientists visited Deer Creek and Strawberry reservoirs to finish up this round of sample collection. Other Reclamation reservoirs visited include Willard Bay, Pineview, Echo, Rockport and Jordanelle.

The July 11 collection efforts included retrieving samples from three locations in each reservoir. Each sample is made up of micro-organisms and algae that is retrieved from the water column in each location. A collection vessel and net are lowered to the bottom and then pulled back to the surface. As the net is pulled back up, those organisms and biomatter are captured by the net and collected in the vessel. A fine mesh allows separating the water from the organisms, concentrating the sample for analysis by Reclamation's Ecological Research Laboratory in the Technical Service Center in Denver.

By studying these samples, we can get a better understanding of the health of the water bodies, and in the case of both Deer Creek and Strawberry, confirm that no invasive species have been transported to the reservoirs.

In addition to water samples, the Water Quality Group also gathers data about the present physical conditions. Using an underwater probe called a Hydrolab, the group can track temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity. All of these can then be measured against past results to build a better understanding of how the condition of the reservoir is changing over time and ensure reservoirs are meeting water quality standards.

To learn more about Reclamation's Early Detection and Monitoring Program, check out our website: https://www.usbr.gov/mussels/detection/index.html