Zebra and quagga mussels can wreak havoc on waterways, pipes, and other submerged equipment. A new contest is offering thousands of dollars for ideas to stop the spread of the virus.
Researchers are using a new method to remove invasive Lake Michigan shellfish
Scientists at the University of Milwaukee are using an 1,100-pound mussel masher to remove invasive mussels from the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Provided by Hibbard Inshore and NOAA GLERL
Hundreds of invasive species that swim, crawl, float, fly, and reproduce cost the nation billions of dollars in damage and control efforts each year.
Officials are constantly challenged to find new ways to deal with the arrival and flourishing of these invasive plants, pests, and other species. Among the more expensive invaders of freshwater lakes and waterways are a group of voracious mussels that first appeared in the United States more than 30 years ago.
Zebra and quagga mussels can wreak havoc on underwater pipes and other submerged equipment in waterways, dams, hydroelectric power plants, piers and harbors. Spending on efforts to repair damage and control or eradicate mussels is estimated at $1 billion annually.
According to federal documents, mussels travel from place to place in the ballast water of ships, primarily via recreational boats, where they also spread other aquatic pests and plants, such as hydrilla and water hyacinth.
Federal agencies wanting to step up efforts to combat various aquatic invaders have launched a $550,000 challenge for help in eliminating the risk of mussel infestation. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation is coordinating the challenge with NASA.
They hope to create innovative solutions to stop mussels and other aquatic invasive species from entering and exiting boat ballast and preventing them from moving from one body of water to another. “It’s some way to inactivate them,” said Christine VanZomeren, prize contest program manager.
“We’re really focused on implementation,” VanZomeren says. “We’re looking for physical prototypes that can reduce the spread of invasive aquatic species.”
“Existing vessel inspection and decontamination programs, while effective, are time-consuming and labor-intensive and pose challenges during peak boating seasons,” according to an agency news release.
How do mussels work?
Zebra mussels first arrived in 1988 and are now found in 32 states. Quagga mussels arrived just a few years later and are now found in 19 states. A third species, the golden mussel, was detected in California in 2024 and is expected to be just as nuisance.
“Mussels can attach to almost any hard surface and grow and multiply,” said Shelley Puccellelli, a biologist who works in the agency’s Technical Services Center and conducts research on aquatic invasive species.
They attach themselves to submerged equipment and infrastructure at dams, sluices, marinas and other waterfront industrial facilities by root-like protein threads. That will result in “a significant increase in maintenance,” Puccellelli said. These can damage your boat’s engine or block your hydropower plant’s pipes and cooling water intakes, causing your generator to overheat.
What’s even more difficult is that mussel offspring are microscopic and can move through water invisible.
Mussels can also attach themselves to native mussels and turtles, which can be a deadly attraction to native species. Puccellelli said they affect the entire lake ecosystem, and the effects ripple throughout the food web. As filter feeders, they can consume so much plankton that they starve other native species. When they die, their empty shells clutter the coast and cause further damage to filters and equipment as they wind up downstream.
Government agencies employ a variety of methods to control mussel infestations in the Great Lakes and other regions. Many states require inspection and decontamination of boats, which can lead to local backups and delays during the busy summer boating season.
In some cases, divers may go in and remove them one by one. In some isolated locations, aggressive action was taken soon after the mussels were detected and fledgling populations were eradicated. For example, it has been effective at Lake Waco in Texas and along the reefs of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan. In Utah, the soak tank method is used to clean boats using boiling water.
Fed wants to reward innovation to fight invaders
“Preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species remains one of the most pressing natural resource challenges facing the Western United States,” says the website dedicated to the award challenge.
With the award program, federal officials are looking for “novel solutions” that kill or eliminate mussels and larvae but do not produce hazardous waste, damage ships or pose safety risks. VanZomeren said the program builds on past competitions that have successfully implemented solutions to other challenges, such as developing and implementing ways to speed up federal government computer models.
The first step in the mussel challenge is to develop a proposal to describe a novel, non-hazardous method for mussel processing and vessel inspection. The challenge is being coordinated by the Tournament Lab at NASA’s Center for Collaboration and Innovation, which supports crowdsourcing across the federal government.
Up to six winning papers will each receive up to $25,000. Participants then pitch their ideas to a panel of experts in a “Shark Tank”-style event. Up to three $50,000 prizes will be awarded for prototype development.
The final contest will award up to three prizes, including a cash prize of $125,000 for the winning concept. Launched in late February, concept papers for the challenge are due by May 29, 2026.
What can you do to prevent the spread of mussels and other aquatic invasive species?
Federal and state officials are reminding boaters to take the following steps:
- Remove all plants, animals, sand, and mud from your boat, trailer, poles, and anchors before entering the water. Rinse your boat with warm, soapy water when you leave the water.
- Before arriving at your boat, drain all water from your boat, including the motor, bilge, livewell, and other compartments. Leave the bilge plug removed during transport (this is required by law in some states).
- Do not bring water from live wells or bait buckets into other bodies of water. Empty on land and throw leftover food in the trash.
- Allow to dry for at least 5 days or wipe with a towel before reusing.
Dinah Boyles Pulver covers climate change, wildlife and the environment for USA TODAY. Contact dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or dinahvp.77 on X or Signal.
