Horrible Invasive Species Found in Colorado River

While we love our wildlife here in Colorado, sometimes the stories of the dangerous ones get all the credit.

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One that recently made headlines was a bear that attacked a human in Steamboat Springs. Even though it only gave the person minor injuries, it still was on the forefront of people’s minds.

With that being said, even the animals we fear the most are some of the best for their ecosystems. Prairie rattlesnakes, for example, play a major role in controlling the population of small mammals like rodents.

However, some species are extremely detrimental to their environments. Unfortunately, one such species has been found in the Colorado River.

Zebra Mussels Have Been Found Near Grand Junction

According to the Colorado Sun, officials in Grand Junction have found signs of zebra mussels in the Colorado River.

This is just two years after they were found in a nearby lake.

The Grand Valley Water Users Association’s general manager, Tina Bergonzini, says the news is absolutely “devastating”.

Why Are Zebra Mussels Bad?

Zebra mussels are tiny, about the size of your fingernail, and originally come from Eurasia. They first showed up in America in the 1980s in the Great Lakes.

There’s a few different ways that zebra mussels can cause damage.

According to the United States Geological Survey, zebra mussels can create serious problems by filtering out algae and plankton that local organisms need to survive.

They also attach themselves onto native mussels, which in effect suffocates them.

Finally, they can cause major damage to infrastructure. Power plants spend millions to get rid of them from their water intake valves. They can also affect drinking water and irrigation as well.

Finally, the most concerning part about these is how fast they can spread. A female zebra mussel can create up to a million eggs when they reproduce. 

This means that not only are they extremely dangerous for the environment, but once they spread, it’s nearly impossible to stop.