Mussels strong concern for Flathead Lake
Kent Luetzen
Selena Tarang searches the shoreline of Blue Bay for any presence of invasive mussels. None were found.
Kent Luetzen
Michael Durglo, center, encourages students to become involved in keeping the mussel-free waters of Flathead Lake crystal clear.
Kent Luetzen
Kyra Aimsback examines a rock in search of tiny aquatic invaders.
Kent Luetzen
Invasive mussels can attach to rocks and reproduce millions of eggs. No mussels were found during the student search.
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
Kent Luetzen
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In an area that encourages tourists during the summer months, when it comes to invasive species, not all visitors are welcome to Flathead Lake.
Zebra and quagga mussels are a huge concern for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation Natural Resources Department.
The nosy group of mussels has not yet reached Montana waters, and several agencies are working collectively to keep them out.
“It is important to have early detection with species like this,” CSKT Division of Environmental Protection Manager Michael Durglo said. “We are checking boats and other water vehicles before they enter the water.”
According to the National Wildlife Federation, these bitsy intruders were first found in the Great Lakes in the 1980s when ocean-going ships picked them up in the ballast water. Now, both species have made home in 29 states by catching rides on boats traveling to different lakes in the United States.
On Monday, April 18, students from Two Eagle River School and Salish Kootenai College participated in the first annual Mussel Walk along the shores of Flathead Lake. The event, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in conjunction with the Flathead Basin Commission, serves both as a means to inspect the shoreline and docks for these tiny invaders and to promote youth and community involvement in protecting Flathead Lake from aquatic invasive species.
“First off, Flathead Lake is huge and it takes a lot of people to make sure it is kept clean, so help is always appreciated,” Durglo said. “Second, I think it is important that these students learn the importance of keeping the land they live on, clean.”
Two Eagle River School Science Teacher Stephanie Fisher agreed.
“This is their home. They need to take ownership of it and know what problems are out there,” Fisher said.
The students walked the shores of Blue Bay, Elmo, and Salish Point collecting data and searching for signs of mussels. Alexia Parizeau and Kyra Aimsback were exploring Blue Bay.
“These are creatures that you have to pick up rocks and look for because they like to be in shaded areas,” Parizeau said.
Parizeau and Aimsback were becoming more curious as they were learning about the effects an invasion would have on the entire lake.
“Would we be able to swim if there were mussels in our lake?” Aimsback asked Durglo.
Durglo explained that the mussels would line the bottom of the lake and “it would feel like walking on coral reef.”
Not only would an outbreak in mussels hurt the bottom of people’s feet, it would kill important native species by stripping their food supply, according to Durglo.
“It is like a domino effect,” Durglo said. “They start to kill plants, which then kills fish … it is just a big bad cycle.”
Once zebra and quagga mussels become established in a body of water they are impossible to get rid of, according information on the National Wildlife Federation website.
Durglo is hoping that finding a solution is something he never has to worry about.
“It is just important to stay ahead of it,” Durglo said. “We don’t want it to be something we can’t recover from. We have a beautiful lake … let’s keep it that way.”
