Wednesday March 4, 2026
Valley Ag Voice —
The golden mussel, an invasive species native to China and Southeast Asia, was initially detected in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and O’Neill Forebay in October 2024, according to the California Department of Water Resources.
This species poses a threat to California freshwater and large populations impact water quality, physically displace native mussels and clams, and adversely alter the ecology of a waterbody which affects other aquatic animals and plants. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, golden mussels consume large quantities of aquatic microscopic plants and animals that native species depend on for food.