Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 19, 1993 TAG: 9303190517
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
MUSSEL RISK IS CLEAR AND PRESENT
THE FACT that Donald E. Johnson (March 2 letter, "Where are the zebra mussels?") considers the mussel a "nonexistent threat" to Carvins Cove clearly indicates that he is not quite aware of its current status in North America.In the six years since its introduction, the mussel has spread rapidly throughout the Great Lakes, with populations now extending to large river systems in the Midwest and Eastern United States. The mussel now occurs in the Tennessee River and Kanawha River in West Virginia.
Virginia is well within the predicted range of the zebra mussel, and the organisms pose a very real threat to the waters of our state.
It is wrong to think that the mussel must first be present in Virginia before it could be introduced into Carvins Cove. Its spread has largely been due to human activity, and transfer over great distances is facilitated by its ability to survive out of water for several days, particularly in damp areas such as live wells or bilge pumps of boats.
The introduction of the species into certain inland lakes of New York was probably due to transfer from infested areas on pleasure boats. Considering the present range of the zebra mussel, most waters in Virginia are within a two-day drive of a mussel population.
To all "citizens, sportsmen, boaters, fishermen and nature lovers" who, according to Johnson, were offended by Roanoke director of operations and utilities Kit Kiser's proactive approach with respect to the zebral mussel:
The introduction of the mussel into the cove has impacts that extend beyond its potential to clog the city's water intake lines (which alone can be a costly situation to deal with). Ecological effects include the loss of fish spawning beds as mussels multiply along the bottom of the reservoir. Through their feeding activity, mussels can deplete planktonic algae and in turn impact the base of the food chain which supports the fishery.
As anyone who has had the chance to visit a zebra mussel-infested area along Lake Erie can attest, thousands of mussels attached to rocks and piers, or washing up dead on beaches, can certainly detract from recreational activities.
The bottom line is that the mussel is an existing threat and taking measures to avoid or at least delay the introduction of this species into Carvins Cove, or any body of water, makes economic and ecological sense. JOE BIDWELL BLACKSBURG