{"id":2176,"date":"2026-05-17T18:31:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T18:31:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/17\/golden-mussels-still-a-threat-to-california-waterways-heres-what-to-know\/"},"modified":"2026-05-17T18:31:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-17T18:31:26","slug":"golden-mussels-still-a-threat-to-california-waterways-heres-what-to-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/17\/golden-mussels-still-a-threat-to-california-waterways-heres-what-to-know\/","title":{"rendered":"Golden mussels still a threat to California waterways. Here\u2019s what to know"},"content":{"rendered":"
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As the summer boating season gets underway with Memorial Day weekend, golden mussels continue to pose a threat to California\u2019s waterways, officials said.<\/p>\n

Read more PG&E cuts power to 6,470 customers in multiple Northern California counties<\/a><\/p>\n

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The invasive mussels clog critical water delivery pipes, damage boats and outcompete native fish. They also spread rapidly, mostly via boats.<\/p>\n

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On Tuesday, Kern County supervisors declared a local emergency over the mussels, joining San Joaquin County.<\/p>\n

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Many lakes and waterways across California, including Lake Tahoe, now require inspections before you can put your boat in the water.<\/p>\n

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\u201cGolden mussels are not in Lake Tahoe, and you can help us keep it that way,\u201d the Lake Tahoe Invasive Species Program said. Motorized boats are required to be decontaminated before entering the lake.<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s what to know:<\/p>\n

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What are golden mussels?<\/h2>\n

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Golden mussels, native to China and southeastern Asia, were first detected in California waters in 2024 in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta near Port of Stockton and have since spread over 350 miles through connected waterways, reaching as far south as Los Angeles County, the California Department of Water Resources and CDFW said.<\/p>\n

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The freshwater mollusks threaten the state\u2019s water infrastructure by clogging pipes and power systems, and threaten aquatic ecosystems and habitats by outcompeting native species and contributing to algal blooms via filter feeding.<\/p>\n

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While golden mussels look similar to quagga and zebra mussels, their harmful effects can be worse because the species can live outside of water for over a week and \u201ccan establish in waters with wider temperature and salinity ranges,\u201d officials said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThey\u2019re small, fast-spreading, and nearly impossible to remove once established. They encrust any hard surface: dock pilings, water intake pipes, boat hulls, and even beach rocks,\u201d Keep Tahoe Blue, an organization dedicated to preserving Lake Tahoe, wrote on its website. \u201cTheir colonies are dense, sharp, and destructive. They can encrust, damage, and even cripple infrastructure like water pipes. They are filter feeders that concentrate nutrients which fuel algae growth and make harmful algal blooms \u2014 and unsafe water conditions \u2014 more likely.\u201d<\/p>\n

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What boaters should know about golden mussels<\/h2>\n

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It\u2019s imperative that recreational boaters clean, drain and dry their boats before launching into a body of water, the California Department of Parks and Recreation said in an email.<\/p>\n

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The department advised that cleaning, draining and drying involves:<\/p>\n

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