Lake Nacimiento and San Antonio face a serious threat – dreissenid mussels. Here are basic guidelines on what’s at risk, and what you can do to keep area lakes dreissenid mussel-free.
What would happen if Lake Nacimiento or San Antonio got infested?
The lake ecosystem would never be the same. There is no known means of eradication without killing everything else in the lake(s). In other words, once mussels get a foothold, there is no known way to get them out of our lakes. The balance of fish and other species in the lake would be noticeably impacted. Clumps and clusters of mussels would develop and their carcasses would accumulate on the shore.
We would have to declare ourselves an infected water body, a deterrent to boating and a negative impact on the local economy. Boats based at an infected lake would no longer be welcome on other lakes seeking to remain mussel-free.