No mussels found in state waters

Wyoming Game & Fish announced this week that, despite breaking records for high-risk watercraft inspections this year, the state’s waters appear to still be free from invasive mussels.

According to the announcement, the department inspected over 73,000 boats across the state. Personnel decontaminated 1154 watercraft and found mussels on 64 of them, both the highest number since the Aquatic Invasive Species program began in 2010.

“This year we saw another increase in high-risk watercraft moving through Wyoming’s check stations,” said Josh Leonard, Game and Fish AIS coordinator. “But that means we’re intercepting the problematic watercraft before they enter Wyoming’s waters.”

High-risk inspections are required when a watercraft is suspected of harboring AIS. According to the announcement, these hit an all-time high in 2023 with 7415 watercraft classified as high-risk.

The increase in high-risk inspections, necessary decontaminations and mussel boats could have been influenced by a variety of factors, but Game & Fish believes the most significant is the increase in mussel detections in states surrounding Wyoming.

South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and Idaho all have at least one water containing zebra or quagga mussels.

Game & Fish stepped up its efforts to stop these mussels from reaching waters in this state after an infestation of the invasive creatures was reported at Pactola Reservoir in 2022, just 30 miles from the Wyoming border.

This was the closest location in which the species has yet been found, which the department concluded was a significant increase to the risk to the state’s waters.

Mussels can spread easily, even in their microscopic state, from just a little water left standing on a boat.

Wyoming remains one of the only states to remain free of the destructive species.

In response, boaters were urged to exercise caution and additional watercraft inspection stations were opened in Newcastle and Manville and existing check stations in Beulah and Torrington saw increased staffing and hours.

According to Game & Fish, AIS check stations are regarded as the first line of defense against invasives entering the state or being spread between Wyoming’s waters. Those range from invasive plants like curly pondweed, which Wyoming does have, to species the state has managed to keep out, like Asian carp and zebra or quagga mussels.

Invasive mussels are one of the most destructive types of AIS and eradicating them is tricky once they are established in natural water.

Game and Fish monitors for mussels and other invasives by sampling 20 waters twice per year and an additional 50 waters once per year.

According to the announcement, one new AIS population was discovered in 2023: New Zealand mudsnails were found by a member of the public in Alsop Lake in the Laramie Region. This is the first time mudsnails have been detected in the region, though additional populations exist in other areas of the state.

In Wyoming, any watercraft transported into the state from March 1 to Nov. 30 must undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector prior to launching. Any watercraft that has been in a water infested with zebra/quagga mussels within the last 30 days is required to undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector prior to launching during all months of the year.

All watercraft must stop at any open watercraft check station on their route of travel, even if not intending to launch in Wyoming.

“So far, Wyoming has been able to withstand the increased threat of invasive mussels,” Leonard said. “Remaining adaptive and utilizing our resources strategically where the threat is highest will help stave off the problem, but more than anything we need each member of the public to do their part. A coordinated effort is how we’ll protect Wyoming’s waters.”