Tuesday July 14, 2026
Fox 26 News —
A San Joaquin water district says it may have found a powerful tool in the fight against California’s growing golden mussel problem.
The Arvin-Edison Water Storage District says a large-scale copper-based treatment successfully killed golden mussels found throughout the areas of its water system that were treated before farmers experienced disruptions to their water deliveries.
Samuel Blue, resource manager with the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District, says the district was facing a problem with no clear solution when it discovered the invasive mussels.
“The board looked at me. We’re not going to wait around for studies or experts. We are going to be the experts, and we are going to try and figure this out ourselves,” Blue said.
That decision led Arvin-Edison to become one of the first water districts in North America to launch a large-scale treatment program targeting golden mussels, according to Blue.