Quagga Mussels in the West and the Colorado River Basin Ricardo De Leon, Ph.D. Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Invasive Mussels Live quagga mussels discovered January 6, 2007 in Lake Mead First known established population of invasive quagga mussels in the western United States Between January and September 2007, quagga mussels spread to four Western States Zebra mussels were discovered in San Justo Reservoir, Northern California and in El Pueblo Reservoir, Colorado in 2008
Quagga Mussels
Widespread Impact of Quaggas
Metropolitan Water District Approximate Service Area Clifton Court Fore- bay LOS ANGELES AQUEDUCTS (2) San Joaquin River Delta-Mendota Canal San Luis Reservoir Buena Vista Lake Kern River SACRAMENTO Sacramento River FRESNO BAKERSFIELD Colorado River Mono Lake Colorado River Aqueduct LOS ANGELES SAN DIEGO Governor Edmund B. Brown California Aqueduct SAN FRANCISCO East Branch SAN BERNARDINO
Large system with a need to move water at capacity.
Consequences of Unmanaged Quagga/Zebra Mussel Infestations The safety of drinking water is not affected but can: Alter the aquatic ecology of lakes and rivers Clog intakes and raw water conveyance systems Reduce the recreational and aesthetic value of lakes and beaches Alter or destroy fish habitats Render lakes more susceptible to deleterious algae blooms
Dreissenid Mussels in the West Live quagga mussels discovered January 6, 2007 in Lake Mead First known established population of invasive quagga mussels in the Western United States Jan Dec, 2008: Mussels spread to four Western States Warmer temperatures lead to multiple spawnings per year Highest veliger production is between April and October
Veligers per Liter 50 Intake at Lake Havasu 40 30 20 10 0
Whitsett Intake at Lake Havasu
Whitsett Intake at Lake Havasu
Intake Trash Racks 12/17/07 3.5 Opening ¾ steel trash racks
Preparing for Outlet Tower Cleaning
2 layer of quagga mussels Lake Mathews Junction Shaft
Slide Gate ~14 Feet tall
New Challenges in Lower Colorado River Bureau of Reclamation s Aquatic Weed Problem
Mean Secchi (m) Copper Basin Changes 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Copper Basin Secchi Depth 2007 2008 2009 2010 Year
Potential for taste and odor algae?
Assembly Bill 1683 (now Fish and Game Code 2301) Provides Fish and Game legal authority : To inspect and quarantine infected boats To close recreational facilities and restrict access to lakes Requires An approved plan for water systems Immediate notification AB 1683 does not have a specific funding mechanism
Implications of AB 1683 in Water Releases Existing law makes it unlawful to spread mussels. Applies to releasing water with mussel veligers into another water body An overall water releases plan must be prepared and submitted to Fish and Game (May 30, 2008- under review) A specific water release plan must be prepared, approved internally and submitted to Fish and Game for approval
Assembly Bill 2065 (now Fish and Game Code 2302) Expanded the requirements for a mussel control program to: Non-infested operators of reservoirs open to the public for boating. It requires a prevention plan for operators of uninfested raw water systems AB does not have a specific funding mechanism
Assembly Bill 2443 (Williams, D. Santa Barbara) Would create a fund for the Department of Fish and Game and local agency mussel inspection programs. A fee imposed on boats as source of funds. Collected via the vehicle registration process Fee ($10.00 annually) established by the Department of Boating an Waterways with consultation with an advisory group. Funds to be used primarily for prevention activities
Monitoring Techniques Microscopic Identification Molecular Identification Individual D. bugensis mussels 1 2 3 4 5 6 Corbicula clams 7 DNA target specifically amplified and detected DNA sequence of 608 bp amplicon Quagga Zebra TAGCCTTATTATTCTG TAGGACTTCTATTTTG Quagga Zebra
Detection of Bivalve Veligers by PCR 100 500 ml plankton net concentrate from 1,000 L water sample Centrifuge Extract DNA PCR DNA sequencing of positives Target Quagga mussel Zebra mussel Golden mussel Primers DBCytC189F DBCytC552R zebcytc123f zebcytc508r LIMNO.COIF1 LIMNO.COIR1 PCR targets the mitochondrial cytochrome C gene Amplicon size T a ( C) Ref 383 bp 61 MWD 386 bp 61 MWD 265 bp 59 Boeger 2007 Melt analysis following real-time PCR confirms amplicon identity
Indirect immunofluorescent staining of quagga mussel veligers with R1000 antiveliger antibody and Texas Red-conjugated antirabbit IgG (grey/white areas are photobleached due to high intensity of staining) fluorescent label veliger 2 antibody veliger antibody
Indirect immunofluorescent staining of quagga mussel veligers with R1030 antiveliger antiserum and Texas Red-conjugated anti-rabbit IgG (right panel). Veligers were collected from Lake Havasu using a 63-μm plankton net and preserved in ethanol. Left panel: White light microscopy of same velliger.
Veliger immunocapture (R1000 polyclonal) Magnetic beads bound to veliger vellum tissue magnet magnetic bead Protein-A R1000 antibody veliger
Immunocapture of veligers with R1030: Comparing blocking buffers
Veliger immunocapture (R1030 polyclonal) Magnetic beads bound to veliger vellum tissue and shell
Live Veligers from CRA
Viability staining with propidium iodide Live Dead Live Live Dead Light microscopy and PI stain
Viability Monitoring: Motility and propidium iodide Location Collection Dates Live Veligers (%) Mean Range Lake Havasu 3/10/11 5/6/13 98 75 100 Copper Basin 3/4/11 5/6/13 90 41 100 Lake Skinner 3/14/11 3/25/13 90 18 100 Lake Mathews 6/6/11 3/25/13 96 48-100