State officials say the discovery of an invasive species of mussels in a lake near Phoenix could become a problem for recreational boaters and municipal water systems and their users.
The Game and Fish Department says it positively identified an adult quagga mussel on the hull of a boat removed from Canyon Lake in December.
Quagga mussels can ruin boat motors and clog water intakes, such as pipes and screens on power and water-treatment plants.
The department says October and November sampling at Canyon Lake suggests for the first time that quagga mussels are able to survive and reproduce in the lake.
The department says it is stepping up monitoring efforts in Canyon and Saguaro lakes and also expediting plans to purchase mobile units to decontaminate boats and watercraft.
