A community united in defense of our water systems

Residents will play a key role in keeping water infrastructure intact against the threat of invasive zebra mussels.

Zebra mussels, a destructive invasive species, pose a severe threat to water systems in Mesa County and beyond.

These small, seemingly harmless creatures may blend in with the river or lake bed, but their populations can quickly overwhelm the ecosystem. As their numbers grow, they can attach to and obstruct critical infrastructure, such as irrigation systems, threatening agriculture and water supplies. Mesa County is at high risk due to its heavy reliance on canals and irrigation.

Zebra mussels reproduce rapidly and aggressively colonize water systems, especially man-made ones. They can clog pipes and sprinkler systems, eventually causing malfunctions or stopping water flow entirely. In our climate, they can reproduce up to three times a year. A single female can lay up to one million eggs, while a male releases over 200 million sperm, exponentially increasing the risk to water infrastructure.

The environmental risk of zebra mussels is high due to their ability to efficiently filter water, stripping the ecosystem of essential nutrients like plankton and starving young native fish and mussels. This disruption can cause entire ecosystems to collapse as native species struggle to survive. In extreme cases, like in the Great Lakes, zebra mussels have wiped out native species, disrupted the food chain and even sterilized entire bodies of water. Despite their small size, they can filter from one to 10 liters of water daily, greatly amplifying their impact.

To address this growing problem, various organizations, including Mesa County, Grand Valley Water Users Association, Grand Valley Irrigation Company, Clifton Water, Orchard Mesa Irrigation District and Mesa County Irrigation District have partnered with Palisade Irrigation District to secure funding from an environmental grant established by the Inflation Reduction Act. The goal is to treat the affected waters of the Government Highline Canal and the Price/Stubb ditch this fall, with continued testing to monitor the situation and ensure preparedness for future outbreaks.

The treatment this fall involves using Earthtec QZ (ionic copper) at two parts per million of the solution; this equates to 120 parts per billion of ionic copper. Copper is not only an essential trace element vital to the health of all living things but is also effective in killing zebra mussels at this incredibly low dose without causing harm to even the most sensitive aquatic species, such as rainbow trout, which are often used as a benchmark for environmental safety.

Keeping our native fish safe, especially the endangered fish in the 15-Mile Reach, is of utmost importance to all of us. The Recovery Program, in collaboration with irrigators, has worked diligently to celebrate the successes of these unique fish; the humpback chub being downlisted from endangered to threatened, the razorback sucker showing promise for downlisting, and increasing wild numbers of Colorado pikeminnow. Keeping those three fish moving in the right direction, with hopes of the bonytail joining them, is critical to our decisions concerning our waters.

The treatment is critical in sections of the canals where water does not completely drain out or freeze in the winter. These low spots are ideal habitats for zebra mussel colonization. Applying Earthtec QZ to these areas aims to eradicate any remaining veligers before they can grow into adults and further proliferate. Special attention is being given to siphons and pressurized laterals, where stagnant water creates ideal conditions for mussels to thrive.

The origin of zebra mussels in North America can be traced back to the ballast water of ships arriving from Eastern Europe. After first establishing themselves in the Great Lakes, zebra and quagga mussels have spread rapidly across the continent. The first confirmed adult zebra mussel infestation in Colorado occurred in Highline Lake two years ago. Despite treatments, adult mussels were again found in the lake the following year. This led to a ban on boating and water pumping as Colorado Parks and Wildlife worked diligently to eradicate the zebra mussels from our coveted recreational lake.

Zebra mussels have the potential to cripple Mesa County’s agricultural sector, particularly in orchards and farms that rely on micro drip irrigation systems. These systems are vulnerable because mussel colonization can easily block small orifices in the drip lines.

If left unchecked, the mussels could significantly reduce water flow to crops, causing severe damage to both smallscale gardens and large commercial operations.

While zebra mussels are not directly harmful to humans, their impact on water infrastructure could be devastating. Municipal providers would have to introduce costly treatments to keep their water supply flowing freely into the treatment plants. These costs will be passed down to the homeowners already strapped in a tough economy. Mesa County’s canal system could be restricted and even cut off in extreme situations due to mussels, leading to much of the landscape reverting to desert and taxing the water supplies of the municipal providers as homeowners struggle to keep their gardens and landscaping alive with costly, treated water to maintain their property values.

Our community must work together to make sure every precaution is taken, from keeping boats clean and dry when not in use to ensuring that no water equipment harbors lingering zebra mussels or their microscopic offspring. The new mantra needs to be: CLEANDRAIN-DRY with all watercraft. The involvement of residents, from homeowners to large-scale agricultural users, will be the deciding factor in keeping Mesa County’s water infrastructure intact. Together, we can safeguard our water systems and preserve our region’s agricultural and ecological health.

Bobbie Daniel is a Mesa County commissioner. Tina Bergonzini is general manager of Grand Valley Water Users Association.

BOBBIE DANIEL AND