Zebra mussel alert at reservoir
THE ZEBRA mussel is such a highly invasive species that the alarm has been raised after just one was discovered in the Crevillente reservoir.
This adult individual, measuring 1.5 centimetres, was detected during regular checks on the quality of water in reservoirs that are carried out by the Segura river and water authority (CHS). The appearance means the reservoir will be added to the list of bodies of water affected by this invasive species, which is associated with significant ecological and economic harm, a CHS spokesman explained.
In the Segura basin, the first adult zebra mussel detected was in the Talave reservoir in Albacete in May 2022, and later that same month in the Camarillas reservoir, then the one at Cenajo.
Since then, the CHS has taken various steps to manage the situation and approved an action plan to stop the species from spreading, which can be found on its website, chsegura.es
The website also has information for the public about controlling the species, and any enquiries can be dealt with at the CHS office in Orihuela or via email to area.calidad@chsegura.es
As a rule, water should never be transferred from one reservoir to another, so anyone using the affected reservoirs is asked to collaborate by thoroughly cleaning with disinfectant and air drying all material that comes into contact with the water, such as fishing tackle, boats, motors or buckets, in order to minimise the risk of it becoming an inadvertent vector for spreading the species.
The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is considered one of the most damaging invasive species in the world by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), due to its great ability to form colonies which can even block pipes.
As it consumes so much phytoplankton, it increases the clarity of water, altering the conditions and displacing other native species, and can also negatively affect tourism and recreational activities such as fishing and sailing, by almost completely covering the banks or shores of bodies of water.