State leaders tour Quagga treatment site in Twin Falls
Agencies are working together to eliminate the invasive specie with as little impacts as possible.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Idaho Governor Brad Little toured the Quagga mussel treatment area to see firsthand how the process is going.
He spoke about the impact to things like the Twin Falls Dam which produces energy for the state is currently being used to distribute treatment. As well as the current, and future, impacts to the river’s fish population.
Governor Little says, “It’s going to be a huge change in what species survive and what species don’t survive and what you’ve going to have to do. It is just a huge liability that’s hanging over the state.”
Those in charge of the aquatic species in the river say that mortality will occur. But they plan to continue monitoring the impact the treatment has, and they will be back in the water doing more surveys. That is all going on in support of what the Idaho State Department of Agriculture is doing and many other state agencies.
Idaho Fish and Game Director Jim Fredricks says, “People have really come together here. Local entities, state agencies, legislative support, the Governor obviously. Just to see everybody recognize the severity, the potential implications and get on board with it and then make things happen at a speed that I don’t think anyone could imagine.”
Those departments include transportation, lands, fish and game, agriculture, species conservation, energy, utilities.
Agencies are working around the clock and together to eliminate the quagga mussel with as little impacts as possible.
“These people are out all night working here, applying the product, doing all the testing, doing all the surveillance really have the states future in their hands and they’re doing a really good job,” says Little.
Copyright 2023 KMVT. All rights reserved.
