SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) - Samples of water taken from a pipeline that connects two Southern California reservoirs have tested positive for an invasive species of mussel.
The California Department of Water Resources says that preliminary testing this month showed tiny larvae were floating in the Santa Ana pipeline, though subsequent searches did not turn up any mature mussels.
Confirmatory testing will determine whether the larvae are quagga or zebra mussels. Once established, both species can wreak havoc on water delivery systems, as they cluster in pipes and block the flow of water.
The pipeline connects Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County to Lake Perris in Riverside County. The state department said it has monitored both lakes for mussels since 2008, the year after quagga mussels were first discovered in California.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.