In The News – Invasive New Zealand Mudsnails Discovered & News Briefs from MoonShine Ink
September 22, 2023 | Member Submitted
Originally Published by MoonShine Ink 9/22 -9/28/2023, Written by MoonShine Ink Staff
LAKE TAHOE: Divers monitoring Lake Tahoe have discovered invasive New Zealand mudsnails in areas off the South Shore, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD) announced on Sept. 21. This is the first time the species has been detected in the Tahoe Basin.
The Lake Tahoe Aquatic Invasive Species Program includes comprehensive monitoring of Lake Tahoe for aquatic invaders. Contract divers with Marine Taxonomic Services surveying invasive weeds on the South Shore discovered tiny snails on the bottom of the lake nearly a half mile offshore from the mouth of the Upper Truckee River. Consultation with experts and a DNA lab analysis confirmed the species is New Zealand mudsnail, an aquatic invasive species (AIS) that has been detected in nearby waterways including the Lower Truckee River downstream from Lake Tahoe near Reno. No other AIS, such as the destructive quagga and zebra mussel, have been detected, according to the agencies.