Regional officials warn quagga, zebra mussels pose growing threat; Montana outlines inspection strategy

Matt Morrison, executive director of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, told the Montana Senate Natural Resources Committee that quagga and zebra mussels are an “imminent threat” to water infrastructure across the region and called for coordinated prevention, early detection and rapid response funding.

Morrison said PNWER has contracted Deloitte to study a cross‑border hydrogen economy and highlighted work on regional infrastructure and aquatic invasive species. “These critters don't jump watersheds by themselves,” Morrison said, arguing human behavior — primarily boats moving between water bodies — is the principal pathway for spread.

Why this matters: lawmakers and agency officials described the financial and operational stakes if mussels establish in western waters. Morrison and other presenters warned of risks to hydropower, irrigation, drinking water, locks and fish hatcheries and urged cross‑jurisdictional planning and investment.

Montana’s approach and scale

Tom Wolfe, Aquatic Invasive Species Bureau Chief for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, described the state’s prevention model: 17 watercraft inspection stations, many operated by local partners such as tribes, conservation districts and counties, targeted to intercept high‑risk, out‑of‑state traffic. “It is the boater's responsibility to get that inspection before launch,” Wolfe said, describing inspection‑before‑launch requirements for boats entering Montana waters and the Flathead Basin across the Continental Divide.

Wolfe said Montana performed about 135,000 inspections since 2012 and that inspectors focus resources on higher‑risk boats rather than trying to increase total inspections. He added the state intercepts mussel‑fouled vessels every year and that most intercepted boats in the last season originated in the Great Lakes region.

Regional responses and lessons from Idaho

Speakers outlined lessons from Idaho, which detected mussels in the Snake River and used a large‑scale treatment and quarantine in an approximately 8‑mile river stretch. Morrison described Idaho’s response as “the first treatment of this type and scale ever attempted in North America,” noting the treatment required that no federally listed endangered species were present in that reach.

Washington and Oregon have developed multiagency coordination structures and a Snake River site‑specific response plan; Washington allocated an $7,200,000 budget (described in the presentation as based on a 50/50 federal match) for prevention, monitoring and readiness. Presenters said Washington and Oregon are planning for the possibility mussels will arrive and are building capacity for outreach, inspections, monitoring and tribal and local government coordination.

Federal matching and funding considerations

Morrison warned about changes to federal cost‑sharing under the Water Resources Development Act (as described in the presentation): he said the current 50/50 match for state prevention funding will change in the federal cycle beginning Oct. 1, 2025, so that a $0.35 state contribution would be matched by $0.65 federal funds (described in presentation as changing the practical state share). He urged state decisionmakers to consider this when planning next year’s budgets.

Detection tools and limits

Wolfe said Montana does not maintain a dedicated statewide muscle‑detection canine program because training and equipping a canine and handler can cost as much as operating an inspection station for a season. He said Montana uses contracted canine teams periodically, especially when following up on suspected adult mussels at sites such as Tiber Reservoir.

Garth Rosewell, introduced as a legislator from Alberta, described recent provincial steps including higher fines for bypassing inspection stations, adding inspection stations and mobile inspection units, and increasing public awareness campaigns to reduce inadvertent spread.

What was not decided

Presenters and lawmakers discussed planning and resource needs but did not adopt any new state policy or appropriation during the hearing. Several presenters emphasized ongoing information‑sharing and regional coordination rather than a single new statewide program.

Ending note

Committee members thanked the presenters and moved into executive action after the briefing. Presenters urged continued cross‑border cooperation and early detection investments to keep mussels from establishing in Montana waters.