No invasive mussels found in Tiber despite complaints about inspections

Despite what an official called “gaps” in the effort to prevent the spread of invasive mussels at Tiber Reservoir, for the second straight year, none have been found in the body of water.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks announced that divers searched for invasive mussels in the reservoir south of Chester, also known as Lake Elwell, but found none of the animals.

The first detection of the invasive mussels in Montana was in 2016, when larvae were found in Tiber and a suspected detection, never confirmed, was made in Canyon Ferry Reservoir.

The Missoulian reported Tuesday that Liz Lodman, the state’s aquatic invasive species coordinator, acknowledged problems existed after Caryn Miske — a critic of some of the state’s aquatic invasive species prevention efforts — said three inspection stations at Tiber Reservoir were not operating as they should.

Zebra and quagga mussels, which originate in Russia and Ukraine, have spread through Europe and parts of the United States, especially the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basin. With no natural predators and a rapid, prolific breeding cycle, the mussels often settle on and in boats, water infrastructure, screens, water intakes, pumps, pipelines, dams and other structures.

Their presence damages the natural ecology and causes major problems with water system infrastructure including irrigation projects and municipal water supplies.

The state established a mussel response team after the discovery, with stricter rules on boat inspections and water entry.

As the only two water bodies in Montana where mussels were detected or suspected, extra precautions were put in place at Tiber and Canyon Ferry.

But the precautions might have been skipped at times.

Miske said a boat went through an inspection station without the live wells being drained and without the bait well being inspected, the Missoulian reported.

She said two entry points open to “certified boaters” who last boated at Tiber were unstaffed, which would allow non-certified boats to launch without being inspected.

This month, five divers  from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, coordinated by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, searched near Tiber Dam up to a depth of about 35 feet.

With its rock structure, the dam is a good habitat for the invasive mussels, which prefer attaching to solid substances, such as rocks, a FWP release said.

Deeper than 35 feet, silt reduces the habitat for mussels significantly.

The divers are part of FWP’s monitoring plan for Tiber Reservoir after water samples in 2016 came back positive for aquatic invasive mussel larvae. The monitoring plan also increased the frequency of water sampling at the reservoir.

FWP also said in a release that while many people have transitioned from fishing season to hunting season, watercraft inspection season is not over.

“In addition to late-season anglers, hunters are currently utilizing watercraft for bowhunting and sheep hunting, and in the next few weeks, perhaps waterfowl hunting,” a FWP release said. “Watercraft users need to remain ‘Clean.Drain.Dry.’ and continue to follow all laws and regulations related to Aquatic Invasive Species … inspections. ”

FWP reminded people that watercraft must stop at all open inspection stations, with open stations listed online at http://cleandraindry.mt.gov/.

Watercraft coming into Montana from out of state must be inspected prior to launching. In addition, anyone transporting watercraft traveling west over the continental divide or into the Flathead Basin must be inspected before launching.

FWP and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees the operation Tiber Dam and Tiber Reservoir, also are planning on moving an inspection station from Ru’s Tiber Marina to the intersection of roads from the island campgrounds and the marina and adding 12 new campsites to provide additional space for inspection station workers.

For more information about Montana’s efforts to defend against aquatic invasive species visit http://www.cleandraindrymt.com and the “Protect Our Waters Montana” Facebook page.