Invasive quagga mussels found in Snake River increase threat to Oregon waterways

NEWS RELEASE
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife odfw.com

Contact:
Rick Boatner, (503) 947-6308, rick.j.boatner@odfw.oregon.gov

Sept. 27, 2023

Invasive quagga mussels found in Snake River increase threat
to Oregon waterways;
Clean, Drain, Dry all watercraft after use

SALEM, Ore. – Quagga mussels, an aquatic invasive species, were detected on Sept. 18 in the Snake River at Twin Falls, Idaho approximately 60 miles upstream from the Oregon border.

This is the first instance of quagga mussel larvae called veligers being detected in the Columbia River basin. Veligers were found free floating in the Snake River at Centennial Waterfront Park and were not attached to any structures or watercraft.

Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) has also not found live quagga mussel larvae in any other Idaho waterbody and has activated its response plan. More information from ISDA can be found here: https://agri.idaho.gov/main/plants/snake-river-quagga-mussel-veligers.

“We are working with Idaho to stop the spread of quagga mussels and any other aquatic invasive species in Oregon,” said Rick Boatner, ODFW Invasive Species Wildlife Integrity Supervisor. “It is very important that all watercraft entering Oregon be inspected for quagga or other invaders.”

Quagga mussels can cause serious damage to lakes, streams, irrigation, and water delivery systems. If detected in Oregon, ODFW and other state agencies have the expertise, equipment, and are positioned to take quick action if needed.

ODFW has not detected the presence of quagga mussels in Oregon but has decontaminated ten watercrafts for quagga or zebra mussels and 287 watercrafts for other types of aquatic biofouling such as Eurasian Watermilfoil at inspection stations this year. Since the start of the Watercraft Inspection Stations program in 2010, ODFW has inspected 208,154 watercraft and intercepted and decontaminated 167 watercrafts with quagga or zebra mussels and 3,206 watercrafts with other types of aquatic biofouling.

Visit https://myodfw.com/articles/waterway-access-and-aquatic-invasive-species-permits to learn more about preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.

ODFW reminds the public that all vehicles towing or carrying watercraft into Oregon must stop at any watercraft inspection station that is open to inspect for aquatic invasive species.

Stations are open if large, orange Boat Inspection Ahead signs are posted, followed by Inspection Required for All Watercraft.

A watercraft is considered any size or type of motorized or non-motorized boat such as a kayak, canoe, raft, or stand-up paddleboard.

Inspection station locations and operating hours:

Ashland: I-5 at the Ashland Port of Entry. Open daily, year-round, during daylight hours.

Ontario: I-84 at the Ontario Rest Area. Open daily, year-round, during daylight hours.

Umatilla: Hwy 395 at the Umatilla Port of Entry.  Open until Oct. 25, Thursday to Monday during daylight hours.

ODFW encourages everyone to take simple actions to avoid spreading aquatic invasive species such as quagga mussels, by following the Clean, Drain, Dry process.

Clean shoes, waders, life vests, boat hulls and engines, trailers and other equipment by removing all visible plants, algae, and mud. Use a stiff-bristled brush to clean equipment. 

Drain any accumulated water from boats or gear–including water used in cleaning–back into the lake, stream, or other waterbody from which it came. 

Let boats or gear fully dry before using again.  

If you find quagga mussels on a vessel, please report them to the Oregon Invasive Species hotline by calling 1-866-INVADER or visiting https://oregoninvasiveshotline.org.

Portland State University Students Create Invasive Species Management Projects

In 2022 student teams in Dr. Catherine de Rivera’s Ecology & Management of Bioinvasions class at Portland State University worked with OISC members and other invasive species professionals to research and report on the impacts of invasive species in Oregon. These invasive species threaten Oregon’s infrastructure, economy, natural resources, and food & water systems, and can impact outdoor recreation opportunities and tourism.  The goal of these projects was to create management products that would be useful for their community partner in tackling an active invasive species management issue.

Below is a list of the projects that were completed (click the links to learn more about each project):

Climate Change Effects on Invasives for the OISC Info Hub Meg Waller, Bre Stewart, Ashley Payne, Emma Ferguson

Oregon Invasive Species Digital Information Hub: Workflow for the Addition or Removal of Species Reagan Thomas, Rodé Krige, and Emma Scott

Nestucca Bay National Wildlife Refuge Invasive Velvet Grass: Management Plan Anton Surunis and Isaac Loudermilk

Ecological Risk Assessment for Non-native Hognose Snake in Oregon for the ODFW Alejandrina Acereto, Hannah Chambers, Amy McClung, Nicole Popp

Outreach Brochure: Aquatic Invasives Identification and Prevention Guide for the Columbia Slough Watershed Council Ruby Howard, Jack Mylet, and Camille Shokrian

Common Names for Invasive Species Project for the Oregon Sea Grant Mia Hackett, Marisa Hernandez, and Michelle Mrogenski

Framework for the Ecological Risk Assessment of Green Crab Carcinus maenas in Oregon for ODFW Justine Casebolt, Peyton Priestman, and Seth Wright

Investigative Report on Spongy Moth Eradication for Customs and Border Protection Part One | Part Two Grace Hall and Zada Spencer-Andrade

EDRR Class A Weed Identification Training for Mosaic Ecology Part One | Part Two Shane Habel, Avery McClure, Kendall O'Leary, and Anna Thompson

The Oregon Invasive Species Council seeks nominations for five council seats

For Immediate Release
Contacts 
Glenn Dolphin | 2023 Oregon Invasive Species Council Chair | Glenn.DOLPHIN@boat.oregon.gov 
Robyn Draheim | OISC Coordinator | coordinator@oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org |

The Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) is seeking nominations for five appointed member seats to serve a 2-year term January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2025. Could you, or someone you know, be a good addition to the OISC? Send in a nomination by October 6, 2023. 

Invasive species have the potential to devastate Oregon’s infrastructure, economy, and natural resources that Oregonians hold dear. The Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) acts as a catalyst for the collaborative effort to protect Oregon from invasive species across the network of its members, including state and public agencies, tribes, researchers, land managers, industry leaders, educators, and members of the public. Strong council member nominees will have experience or expertise that relates to invasive species prevention or control and/or specialize in a related area of interest. The Council is seeking the appointment of five members representing the following categories for 2-year term positions that conclude December 31, 2025: 

• A member who represents an entity, regardless of the form of the entity, with a headquarters or principal operations in Baker, Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Klamath, Lake, or Malheur Counties with the purpose of responding to invasive species concerns.

• A member who represents an entity, regardless of the form of the entity, with a headquarters or principal operations in Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, or Yamhill Counties with the purpose of responding to invasive species concerns.

• A member who represents a Native American or Indian Tribe or association of Tribes.

• A member who represents an Organization or Association that advocates on behalf of private industry.

• A member who represents the public.

Council members’ primary role is to support the advancement of Oregon’s Statewide Strategic Plan for Invasive Species. Members benefit from multi-agency communication and collaboration that the OISC provides through meetings, committees, events, and communication. Council members are expected to participate in 4-6 meetings per year depending on the format (in person or by teleconference), multi-day meetings may be possible twice a year. Council members are allowed to designate an alternate if they are unable to attend a meeting. Council members are not paid, but may be reimbursed for travel expenses associated with attending Council meetings. 

Additionally, Council members are required to serve on at least one committee and support communication with and/or convening other interested groups to contribute to Council activities. Membership is limited to two consecutive two-year terms. 

The deadline to submit nominations is October 6, 2023. Fill out the nomination form online here: https://www.oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org/nominations 

Complete nominations must include submission of the following information: 

1. The individual’s name, title, phone, email, and mailing address (self nominations are accepted), and the member seat(s) of interest. 

2. A brief description of the nominee’s qualifications. 

3. A statement from the nominee that explains their interest, relative experience, and contributions they are willing to make to the Council. 

4. Letters of support for the nominee are highly encouraged. 

The Council will notify appointees in November, 2023  and welcome the new appointee at the first OISC Council meeting in 2024 (date and location to be determined).

Oregon dad spots the first emerald ash borers on the West Coast during summer camp pickup in Forest Grove

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 11, 2022

Contacts:

Andrea Cantu-Schomus, ODA Communications Director, andrea.cantu-schomus@oda.oregon.gov

Jim Gersbach, ODF Public Affairs Specialist, 503-508-0574, jim.gersbach@odf.oregon.gov

Oregon dad spots the first emerald ash borers on the West Coast during summer camp pickup in Forest Grove

FOREST GROVE, Ore – On June 30, Dominic Maze, an invasive species biologist for the City of Portland, was waiting outside a summer camp in Forest Grove to pick up his children when he noticed several ash trees in decline. When he took a closer look he recognized the distinctive D-shaped holes made by adult emerald ash borers (EAB), an invasive and destructive pest, as they exit an infested tree.

“When my kids arrived, I asked them to look for adult beetles,” said Maze. “My son promptly found one crawling on him. Knowing how many millions of ash trees across the country these beetles have killed I felt like I was going to throw up.”

Maze’s discovery of EAB in a parking lot in Forest Grove is the first known sighting on the West Coast. Maze was familiar with EAB and signs of it in ash trees through educational materials federal and state agencies have been providing to Portland and other Oregon cities. He immediately called the Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Forest Health Unit to report the EAB sighting.

ODF Forest Entomologist Christine Buhl drove to the site that same day and identified an adult EAB, known for their metallic, shiny green color. She then alerted the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA). Her identification was verified later by two additional invasive species specialists – Max Ragozzino with ODA and Wyatt Williams with ODF.

“We are so thankful Mr. Maze was paying attention and took action,” said ODA Biocontrol Entomologist Max Ragozzino. “We now need the public to help by learning what the emerald ash borer looks like and keeping an eye on their local trees. If they spot an ash or olive tree that appears infested, we ask that they please make a report online at the Oregon Invasive Species Council hotline. This will help us know how far and how fast this destructive insect is spreading in Oregon.”

EAB is native to eastern Asia and has spread to about three dozen states since its first detection in Michigan two decades ago. EAB is now considered the most destructive forest pest in North America. Although harmless to people, pets, and animals, it has proven deadly to all ash species in North American and Europe, including the native Oregon ash (Fraxinus latifolia). EAB can also infest American fringe trees (Chionanthus virginicus) and European olive trees.

The infested ash trees in Forest Grove were cut down and chipped within 48 hours of discovery. ODF and ODA are now working closely with industry partners, including urban foresters and nursery producers, to provide information and resources as Oregon launches a response to the discovery of EAB.

The state is using the Emerald Ash Borer Readiness and Response Plan for Oregon as a guide in its response. The plan was finalized in March 2021 and created through the collaborative efforts of a diverse group of stakeholders and state agencies. The state will be consulting with local and federal governments and providing updates to the public and industry as it moves through its response efforts.

To report sightings of emerald ash borer please make a report online at the Oregon Invasive Species Council hotline. For more information about EAB please visit ODA’s Emerald Ash Borer webpage.

For more information about impacts of EAB to Oregon’s urban forests and the risks to native ash trees please visit ODF’s Forest Health page.

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Oregon Invasive Species Council Launches Digital Information Hub

Salem, Ore. – The Oregon Invasive Species Council (OISC) has created an interactive tool to search, learn, compile and share available information for aggressive non-native species that pose a threat to Oregon’s environment, economy, or public health. Species profiles provide information about numerous species from various taxa groups. The profiles include recent and active alerts, species descriptions, introduction pathways and distributions.

“We hope this will become a comprehensive resource where Oregonians can learn about the myriad threats of invasive species,” said Troy Abercrombie, chair of the OISC. “This is a collaborative effort between many state, federal, tribal, private, and non-profit partners and we hope it will be one additional tool for us to help protect our economy and environment by keeping the public, practitioners and policymakers informed.”

Please visit the OISC Digital Information Hub and stay tuned as additional species profiles are uploaded into the database. The OISC welcomes feedback and contributions from taxa experts, whichcan be provided directly through the hub page.

About the Oregon Invasive Species Council

The Oregon Invasive Species Council’s mission is to protect Oregon’s natural resources and economy by planning and leading a coordinated and comprehensive effort among state and public agencies, tribes, scientists, land managers, industry leaders, educators, and members of the public. The Oregon’s Statewide Strategic Plan for Invasive Species was adopted in 2017 and outlines strategies to achieve the following objectives: 1) Prevention; 2) Early Detection and Rapid Response; 3) Control and Management; 4) Education and Outreach; and 5) Coordination and Leadership. More information and a full list of OISC members can be found at www.oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org.

Media Contact:

Patrick Sieng

coordinator@oregoninvasivespeciescouncil.org

503-558-5815