RAPID RESPONSE
Deploying a mega trap intended to catch large numbers of African clawed frogs. Photo credit: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
What is Rapid Response?
Even the best prevention efforts cannot stop all invasive species. Early detection, rapid assessment and rapid response (EDRR) is a critical second defense against the establishment of aquatic invasive species. EDRR increases the likelihood that localized invasive populations will be found, contained, and eradicated before they become widely established. EDRR can slow range expansion, and avoid the need for costly long-term control efforts. Effective EDRR depends upon the timely ability to answer critical questions such as:
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What is the species of concern, and has it been authoritatively identified?
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Where is it located and likely to spread?
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What harm may the species cause?
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What actions (if any) should be taken?
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Who has the needed authorities and resources?
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How will efforts be funded?
Why should you care?
Invasive species exact a high price from both society and our environment, threatening native fish and wildlife and their habitats. Invasive species:
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Cost Americans more than $137 billion a year.
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Impact nearly half the species listed as threatened or endangered.
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Can devastate key industries including seafood, agriculture, timber, hydro-electricity, and recreation.
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Impede recreation such as boating, fishing, hunting, gardening, and hiking.
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Spread easily by wind, water, animals, people, equipment, and imported goods.
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Increase frequency and intensity of wildfires and livestock poisonings.
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Destabilize soil and alter hydrology of streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Successful Early Detection and Rapid Response Programs include:
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Potential threats are being identified in time to allow risk-mitigation measures to be taken;
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New invasive species are being detected in time to allow efficient and environmentally sound decisions to be made;
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Responses to invasions are effective and environmentally sound and prevent the spread and permanent establishment of invasive species;
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Adequate and timely information is being provided to decision-makers, the public, and to trading partners concerned about the status of invasive species within an area; and
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Lessons learned from past efforts are being used to guide current and future efforts.
Columbia River Basin State Rapid Response Plans and Guidelines for Dreissenids
Montana (September 2018)
Oregon (Amended April 2017)
Washington (Amended June 2017)
Columbia River Basin
Interagency Invasive Species Response Plan: Dreissenid Species (2018)
Other State Rapid Response Plans
State Rapid Response Exercises
Keyhole State Park Wyoming - Virtual Rapid Response Primer (May 2023)
Nevada Response Exercise - Wild Horse Reservoir, October 2022 - After Action Report (2022)
Montana Rapid Response Exercise, Fort Peck Reservoir After Action Report (2021)
Oregon Dreissenid Rapid Response Exercise, Lake Billy Chinook After Action Report (2020)
Lessons Learned - State Dreissenid Rapid Response Exercises (2019)
Hells Canyon Dreissenid Rapid Response Exercise Summary (May 2019)
Montana Rapid Response Exercise After Action Report, Flathead Lake (September 2018)
Washington State Rapid Response Exercise After Action Report, Lincoln Rock State Park, Wenatchee, WA (October 2017)
Jackson Lake Rapid Response Exercise After Action Report, Jackson Lake Wyoming (May 2016)
Federal Rapid Response Plans
2023 Federal Mussels Rapid Response Resource List and POCs
Columbia River Basin Dreissenid Mussel Rapid Response Action Plan Programmatic Environmental Assessment (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division/Walla Walla District, 2019)
Catalog of U.S. Federal Early Detection/Rapid Response Invasive species Databases and Tools (2018)
Provincial Rapid Response Plans/Guidelines
Alberta Aquatic Invasive Species Early Detection Rapid Response Plan (2019)
Dreissenid Mussels and Alberta’s Irrigation Infrastructure: Strategic Pest Management Plan and Cost Estimate (2018)
Invasive Mussel Prevention Framework for Western Canada (2018)
The Inter-Provincial Territorial Agreement for Co-ordinated Regional Defence Against Invasive Species (2016)
Zebra and quagga mussel early detection and rapid response plan for British Columbia (2015)
After-Response Action Reports
Moss Ball Incident Action Report (Columbia River Basin AIS Team, July 2021)
Examples of Quagga/Zebra Mussel Eradication Projects
Open Water
Highline Lake, Colorado
2022-2023 Treatment
Size: Maximum depth is 50 feet.
First Zebra Mussel Discovery: Sept. 14, 2022
Zebra Mussel Control: copper
Authority: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Method: 2 applications of EarthTec QZ
Collateral Damage: "During the summer of 2023 (post-treatment), all vessels were inspected (and decontaminated if necessary) prior to launch, and ALL vessels were decontaminated prior to exiting the park. The Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) team at Highline decontaminated more than 2,100 vessels"
Cost: $XXXX
Treatment: "In addition to lowering the lake [50ft] to expose areas along and near the shoreline to kill zebra mussels through the natural processes of desiccation and freezing, CPW will apply EarthTec QZ, an EPA-registered copper-based molluscicide, to the lake. Once the lake has reached the desired level and the ice has come off the lake, CPW will perform the first application of EarthTec QZ to the east side of the lake. Park staff believe this will occur around March 1. After two weeks, a second application will be added to the west side of the lake."
Eradication: [XXX measure used]
Second (post-treatment) Zebra Mussel Discovery: October 2023
Zebra Mussel Control: copper
Zebra Mussel Control: copper
Authority: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Method: 2 applications of EarthTec QZ (at a higher concentration than in 22/23 plan)
Collateral Damage: "Highline Lake will be lowered and emptied, beginning in January 2024. The lake will not be open to motorized vessels during the 2024 season and additional closures may be announced at a later date."
As of 6/23/24:
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Highline Lake is closed to motorized boating until further notice. This closure includes electric motors.
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Highline Lake is open to hand-launched, human-powered vessels only. Life jackets are required for every person on the lake, no exceptions.
Cost: $XXXX
Treatment: "On October 1, 2023, during routine work to remove buoys from the water in preparation for winter, five additional zebra mussels were located in Highline Lake. Continued work on October 12, 2023 yielded more mussels and a two-phase plan was developed to further eradicate mussels from the lake. On November 3rd and 6th, EarthTecQZ will again be applied to Highline Lake but in higher concentrations that the spring treatments."
Eradication: [XXX measure used]
Lake Michigan, Michigan
Dreissenid mussel Zequanox control demonstration: Good Harbor Reef, MI (.pdf of PPT presentation, August 2020)
Round Lake, Michigan
Round Lake Zequanox Application: Lessons Learned (.pdf of PPT presentation, Keson, August 2020)
Christmas Lake, Minnesota
Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) eradication efforts in Christmas Lake, Minnesota (2017)
Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota
Zebra Mussel Control with Low-Dose Copper in Lake Minnetonka (MAISRC 2019)
Low-dose copper for zebra mussel suppression (.pdf of PPT presentation, Waller and Dahlberg, August 2020)
Carroll County, Maryland - Hyde's quarry
Size: Maximum depth is 51-60 feet.
Zebra Mussel Discovery: 2018
Zebra Mussel Control: KCl
Authority: Carroll County, Maryland
Method: AIS Marine (Canada)
Collateral Damage: Popular diving location is now closed to diving.
Cost: $350,000
Eradication: Bags of mussels were suspended in the water column, and KCl was pumped into the lake. All the mussels in the bags died after treatment, and local officials claim eradication.
Notes: This quarry was a popular diving location before the discovery of zebra mussels in 2018. It has since been closed to diving. The lake contains submerged training platforms, boats, a bus, and a sunken airplane. It is touted as a great place for novice divers.
Billmeyer Quarry, Bainbridge, Pennsylvania (2017)
Billmeyer Quarry Consumptive Use Mitigation Project
https://www.srbc.net/our-work/programs/planning-operations/billmeyer-quarry.html
https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/SpecimenViewer.aspx?SpecimenID=1332610
Quagga Mussel Eradication Confirmed in Historic Pennsylvania Lake Apr 16, 2019
Test results show no evidence of quagga mussels two years after eradication project. (EarthTec QZ 2019)
Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba
Size: surface area- 24,514 km2 (9,465 sq mi)
Zebra Mussel Discovery: October 2013
Zebra Mussel Control: closed harbor areas with silt curtains and treated with liquid potash
Authority:
Method: Potassium Chloride Aqueous Solution (20, administered and monitored in the harbours by Ontario-based ASI Consulting Group Ltd.
Duration:
Collateral Damage: impacts to fishing boats and harbors during the treatment window.
Cost: $500,000
Eradication: No, large clumps of mussels were found along shorelines within one year.
Notes: Zebra mussels were first found on the hull of a private boat and a dock at Winnipeg Beach and on some fishing boats dry docked at Gimli.
Smithville Lake, Missouri
Categorical Exclusion (note: this water body is infested)
Truman Lake, Missouri
Categorical Exclusion (note: this water body is infested)
Pomme de Terre, Hermitage, Missouri
Size: 7,820 acres (32 km2) multipurpose pool; 16,100 acres (65 km2) flood pool
Zebra Mussel Discovery: December 2015 Zebra Mussel Control: Drawdown and chemicals
Authority: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers & Missouri Department of Conservation
Method: the lake was dropped 3 feet and the Lindley Arm where the infested dock had been launch treated twice—48.6 pounds (6 ppm) of copper sulfate crystals and 60 lbs. of potassium chloride each time.
Duration:
Collateral Damage:
Cost: $356 (chemicals); $1345 (MDC biologists)
Eradication: TBD, Extra zebra mussel samplers have been deployed
Notes: a dock with mussels was being transferred from an infested water; mussels were found on it at new location & dock was removed immediately from the water.
Lake Piru, California
Size: surface area 1,240 acres
Quagga Mussel Discovery: December 2013 (Found on the patrol boat and settlement samplers).
Quagga Mussel Control:
Authority: United Water Conservation District
Method:
Duration:
Collateral Damage:
Cost:
Eradication: No.
Notes: First Southern California water impacted that wasn’t connected to Colorado River. Several meetings to discuss drawdown and treatment occurred. Competing interests resulted in no drawdown. Drought in California resulted in reservoir dropping to 17% of pool
San Justo Reservoir, California
Size: 9,785 acre-feet
Zebra Mussel Discovery: November 1 2008 (brought in by angler).
Zebra Mussel Control: Full Closure of Lake; No public access
Authority: Bureau of Reclamation and California Fish and Wildlife
Method: Annual water drawdowns for population control have resulted in smaller populations in 2016 than in 2008.
Duration: 2008 - present
Collateral Damage: Loss of fishing and recreation
Cost:
Eradication: No.
Zebra Mussel Eradication Project for San Justo Reservoir, Hollister Conduit, and San Benito County Water Distribution System (FONSI-09-010) (Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area Office 2015)
Lake Offut, Offut Air Force Base, Nebraska
Size: 113 acres
Zebra Mussel Discovery: April 2006; rediscovered May 1, 2014
Zebra Mussel Control: Closed to public access, treated with copper sulfate
Authority: U.S. Air Force
Method: Lake was treated with copper sulfate twice
Duration: fall 2008 and winter 2009
Collateral Damage: Loss of fishing and recreation
Cost:
Eradication: No.
Notes: Subsequent monitoring in 2009 was negative for zebra mussel larvae and adults. However, in October 2010, three live adults were found on a sampling disk, but no veligers were detected in subsequent sampling efforts.
Zebra Mussel Eradication Project, Lake Offutt, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska (November 2009)
Lake Zorinsky, Omaha, Nebraska
Size: 225 acres
Zebra Mussel Discovery:November 2010 (a local Boy Scout found a zebra mussel attached to a beer can at the edge of the lake).
Zebra Mussel Control:
Authority: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers & City of Omaha
Method: the lake was partially drained in the winter of 2010–11, lowering its level by 17.5 feet (5.3 m):
Duration:
Collateral Damage:
Cost:
Eradication: No. Mussel veligers detected July 2016
Notes: Zebra mussels found at Zorinsky Lake in 2010 included some of the largest found anywhere in the U.S. up to that time; the largest was about 1.7 inches. Once they drained the lake, more than 900 mussels were found on the exposed bed.
Assessment of the Water Quality Conditions at Ed Zorinsky Reservoir and the Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Population Emerged after the Drawdown of the Reservoir and Management Implications for the District's Papillion and Salt Creek Reservoirs (USACE 2012)
Millbrook Quarry, Virginia
Size: 12 surface acres; 93 ft max depth (180 Million gallons)
Zebra Mussel Discovery: August 2002
Zebra Mussel Control: January 31, 2006 – February 17, 2006.
Authority: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Method: 174,000 gallons of potassium chloride solution
Target Dose: 100 mg/l (100 ppm)
Duration: 3 weeks
Collateral Damage: Minimal to non-mollusks
Cost: $365,000
Eradication: Yes
Notes: Only known successful open-water eradication attempt for zebra mussels in North America
Final Environmental Assessment Millbrook Quarry Zebra mussel and Quagga Mussel Eradication (2005)
Millbrook Quarry, Virginia Zebra Mussel Eradication (2005)
Edinboro Lake, Pennsylvania
Size: 252 surface acres
Zebra Mussel Discovery: 2000
Zebra Mussel Control: December 2000 and November 2001
Authority: Borough of Edinboro
Method: Winter Drawdown
Target Drawdown: 5 feet
Duration: unknown
Collateral Damage: Minimal
Cost: unknown
Eradication: No; mussels quickly repopulated
Winter Lake Drawdown as a Strategy for Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) Control: Results of Pilot Studies in Minnesota and Pennsylvania (Grazio and Montz 2002)
Lake Ossawinnamakee, Minnesota
Size: 644 surface acres
Zebra Mussel Discovery: 2003
Zebra Mussel Control: 2004, 2005
Authority: MN Department of Natural Resources
Method: Copper Sulfate used kill the veligers in the bay leading to an outlet stream (Pelican Brook ) that exits the lake, flows for about 5 miles and enters the Pine River, which then flows for about 11 miles and enters the Mississippi River. MNDNR wanted to prevent short-term movement through this connection. A 26-acre bay leading to the outlet stream was treated weekly with a chelated copper sulfate product.
Duration: Weekly during summer months (June-September)
Collateral Damage: Molluscan fauna eliminated, as well as amphipods, mayflies and stoneflies, with some species of caddisflies also showing impacts.
Cost:
Eradication: No: In fall 2005, zebra mussels were reported in a backwater lake on the mainstem of the Mississippi River downstream of the Ossawinnamakee connection. While these may not have moved from the lake, it stopped further efforts at treatment and containment for Lake Ossawinnamakee.
Lake Zumbro, Minnesota
Size: 1600 surface acres
Zebra Mussel Discovery: 2000
Zebra Mussel Control: November 2001
Authority: Borough of Edinboro
Method: Winter Drawdown
Target Drawdown: 5 feet
Duration: More than one week
Collateral Damage: Minimal
Cost: unknown
Eradication: No; mussels quickly repopulated
El Dorado Reservoir, Kansas
Size: 8000 surface acres
Zebra Mussel Discovery: 2003
Zebra Mussel Control: December, 2003
Authority: KS Department of Wildlife & Parks / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Method: Drawdown
Target Drawdown: 3.5 feet
Duration: Unknown
Collateral Damage: Minimal
Cost: Unknown
Eradication: No, mussel population quickly recovered
Lake George, New York
Size: 28,000 surface acres
Zebra Mussel Discovery: 1999
Zebra Mussel Control: 2000 - present
Authority: Lake George Association / Darrin Freshwater Institute
Method: Hand harvesting
Duration: Unknown
Collateral Damage: Minimal
Cost: Unknown
Eradication: No. Hand harvesting may keep local populations down temporarily, but these populations quickly recover once harvesting has stopped.
US Army Corps of Engineers