California is pouring $6 million into fight against invasive golden mussels clogging waterways

California is devoting additional funding to the fight against golden mussels.

Included in the state budget Gov. Gavin Newsom signed on June 29 is a $6 million allocation meant to help slow the species before it raises household costs and creates more problems for water infrastructure.

What's happening?

One part of Newsom's newly approved California budget earmarks $6 million for efforts to prevent the spread of golden mussels through the state's waterways, Stocktonia reported.

First identified in the Port of Stockton about two years ago, the species has since spread broadly, clogging pipes and fouling water systems.

According to Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom, the money will support decontamination sites in the Delta for boats and equipment, with the aim of stopping the mussels from being carried into more lakes and rivers.

The Stockton City Council approved an emergency declaration after encrustation was found on local water-system intakes. The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors had taken a similar step in April.

"This funding brings critical state support to San Joaquin County and the Delta, where our communities have been experiencing the impacts of golden mussels since day one," Ransom said in a statement, shared by Stocktonia.

Why does it matter?

Golden mussels can damage the pipes, pumps, and intake systems that move and treat water, driving up costs for cities, farms, and families alike.

Ransom warned that "without urgent action, golden mussels will continue to spread through California waterways, and families will bear the cost of this crisis through higher water rates and increased food prices."

There are also concerns about water quality. U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla said the mussels "pose a threat to our water infrastructure by rapidly infesting our waterways across the state and releasing byproducts like nitrogen and phosphorus that can cause harmful algal blooms," Stocktonia reported. 

Those blooms can harm ecosystems, disrupt recreation, and threaten public health, especially when waterways become less safe for fishing, boating, and other everyday uses.

What's being done?

For now, the state's response is focused on containment, including Delta decontamination sites for boats and equipment that might otherwise carry the species into new waters.

At the federal level, Padilla and fellow California Democrat Adam Schiff have introduced a bill called the Golden Mussel Eradication and Control Act, while U.S. Rep. Josh Harder previously authored a similar House measure.

If passed, those bills would provide additional federal funding for response efforts.

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