Official issues urgent warning as rapidly spreading creature wreaks havoc: 'All [of] … our water is contaminated'

The appearance of an invasive animal in Colorado has put local farmers on high alert, according to CPR News. 

What's happening?

Invasive zebra mussels have been found in the Colorado River, and larvae have been spotted in some of its adjoining canal systems.

These mussels can populate quickly enough to clog pipes in irrigation systems, requiring expensive repairs. This can include digging up pipes and manually clearing them out or pricy copper treatments in the water. 

Zebra mussels have been popping up all over the U.S., including in South Dakota, Minnesota, and Nevada.

Why are zebra mussels concerning?

"The threat to the agricultural and rural communities with the zebra mussels' presence is seemingly catastrophic," said Jackie Fisher, the director of the Orchard Mesa Irrigation District, to CPR News. "And we're doing our best to remain proactive, but it is difficult when the source where we all receive our water is contaminated." 

Human transportation is one of the most common ways in which invasive species are brought into new environments.

Once free of the predators they evolved with, their population has the opportunity to explode. When this happens, invasive species monopolize resources, make it harder for native species to thrive, and reduce biodiversity.

All of these factors can create a decline in ecosystem functioning. This damage creates hundreds of billions of dollars in damage every year, according to one study. 

What's being done about zebra mussels?

To combat the invasion of zebra mussels in farms in Colorado, farmers are diligently monitoring their water supplies.

While the potential for damage from zebra mussels is high, experts are optimistic that the threat won't get much bigger than it already is. 

"We don't believe that the Colorado River is the best habitat for zebra mussels to really establish in large numbers," said Robert Walters, the state's invasive species program manager, to CPR. "So I don't think that you're going to see significant population numbers in a river system like you would in a lake or reservoir."

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