Washington watching for invasive species as it gets closer in Idaho

In Idaho, a pesky invasive species has been found near the Snake River, north of Twin Falls. It has spurred increased efforts to keep quagga mussels from spreading into Washington.

Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife officials announced they're ramping up monitoring and prevention efforts, after quagga mussel larvae were found in several samples from a park near Twin Falls. The agency says if this invasive mussels take hold in Washington, it would cost the state more than $100 million per year. So far, the department says no quagga mussels have been found in Washington waters.

Fish and Wildlife has ordered all the boat ramps in the area closed, and has begun trying to assess how widely the species has spread. Once inspectors are able to determine that, they hope to devise a strategy to control it.

The quagga and its cousin, the zebra mussel, have been on Idaho’s radar for years. In 2009, the state Legislature authorized inspectors to set up shop in border areas to check boats coming into the state. There are several stations along I-90 and other highways in Idaho's panhandle. The goal, according to a state video, is to catch the pest before it can be introduced into a lake or river.

“Once established, the mussels populate rapidly, clinging to hard surfaces, such as boat motors and hulls, clogging water intake pipes, plugging hydropower systems and destroying native fisheries," the informational video states.

Read the full story by Spokane Public Radio's Doug Nadvornick here.