Officials issue warning as harmful creature is found spreading in US lakes: 'No effective methods to treat or eliminate'

Officials in California are sounding the alarm after a small but threatening mollusk was found in two key reservoirs in the southern part of the state, where it is considered invasive.

What's happening?

The SF Gate recently reported that the golden mussel has taken up residence in Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County and Los Angeles County's Pyramid Lake. Native to China and Southeast Asia, the golden mussel is a relatively recent arrival in North America.

At Pyramid Lake in Los Angeles County and Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County, invasive golden mussels have been...

Posted by California Department of Water Resources on Friday 12 September 2025

It is believed to have been first detected on the continent in the fall of 2024. Fears that the species would take root and spread rapidly have, unfortunately, been realized. Worse, as state officials have warned, once they establish themselves in an area, they're practically impossible to remove because there are "no effective methods to treat or eliminate the golden mussel from infested waterways," according to a news release from the California Department of Water Resources.

Why are golden mussels in California such a concern?

As an invasive species in the state, golden mussels can easily outcompete resident species for essential resources. As the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has noted, golden mussels spread quickly and pose numerous risks, including biofouling, which harms water quality and disrupts the food web.

Like zebra mussels, they can spread to nearby areas easily by attaching themselves to the hulls of watercraft. It's only a matter of time before the golden mussel is found in other lakes in the Golden State.

Invasive plants and animals are now present in every U.S. state and cause approximately $21 billion in economic and health-related damage each year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In 2023, the United Nations estimated that, on a global scale, the crisis costs around $423 billion.

What's being done about golden mussels?

The CDFW has a plan in place that focuses on raising awareness among the public and inspecting and decontaminating grounded ships before they are returned to the water.

Other municipalities have employed various methods to contain the spread of an invasive species. For example, British Columbia is mitigating the spread of zebra mussels with the aid of sniffer dogs.

The makers of Zequanox, a product that kills zebra mussels and quagga mussels, are currently working on a new version that can also target golden mussels. However, the golden variety is proving a much tougher nut — or shell — to crack.

"Invasive species are amazing," the company's co-founder, Pam Marrone, told local station KCRA 3. "They're horrible, but they're also amazing in that they're genetically built to invade quickly and have really high reproductive rates. There's a real opportunity to find safer biological solutions for these types of pests."

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