Big Bear Lake, CA, May 23, 2014 – With a large influx of tourists expected over the three-day Memorial Day Weekend, visitors are reminded that boats being launched in Big Bear Lake are subject to inspections for invasive quagga and zebra mussels. The non-native freshwater mussels can be easily spread from one body of water to another, where they multiply quickly, encrust watercraft and infrastructure, and compete for food with native and sport fish species.
Both species can attach to and damage virtually any submerged surface. They can:
• Ruin a boat engine by blocking the cooling system and causing it to overheat
• Jam a boat’s steering equipment, putting occupants and others at risk
• Generally cost boat owners a lot of money
Since Quagga mussels were first detected in the Colorado River in 2007 , they have spread to 27 waterways in Southern California.
