Monday October 28, 2024
KPVI —
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture is planning a second round of treatment in the Snake River in November to target invasive quagga mussels.
This second round of treatment comes just one month after the department treated 8.5 miles of the river between Oct. 8-19 with Natrix, a copper-based pesticide registered by the Environmental Protection Agency used to kill invasive aquatic species.
The treatments are a part of an effort to eradicate quagga mussels that were first discovered in the Snake River in September 2023, and again on Sept. 24 this year, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.
Officials have said the invasive mussels pose a major threat to Idaho as they can spread and clog pipes that deliver water for drinking, energy, agriculture and recreation. The mussels are a highly competitive species that can also disrupt fish populations and wildlife habitat.
The second round of this year’s Natrix treatment is focused on eradicating the mussels in still water and deep pool sections of the river. Exact dates for the November treatment will be determined at a later time, according to a press release from the department.