Power boats banned from Waterton over fears of invasive mussels
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WATERTON – In a move to protect Waterton Lakes National Park’s aquatic environment from invasive mussels, Parks Canada has announced a prohibition on the use of power boats and trailer-launched watercraft in the park.
The decision follows the discovery of quagga or zebra mussels in the Tiber Reservoir in Montana last fall — less than half-a-day’s drive from the park.
Once in a waterway, an infestation is permanent and begins to strip the nutrients from the water, leaving very little food for native species. The impact on plant and animal life alters the chemistry and clarity of the water, which can then start clogging water intake structures like dams, water treatment facilities, hydro-power facilities, docks, breakwaters, buoys, boats and beaches.
The mussels are about the size of a fingernail and can easily attach themselves to objects like boats. They are also capable of producing millions of eggs and can reach numbers in the tens of thousands per square metre.
