Summer samplings uncover no new zebra mussels in Colorado River system, but the battle wages on

New testing has Utah worried about zebra mussel spread in the Colorado River

Utah wildlife managers say fragments of invasive zebra mussel DNA have been found in a stretch of the Colorado River near Moab.

Summer samplings uncover no new zebra mussels in Colorado River system, but the battle wages on

After 2025 saw a flurry of zebra mussel detections in the Colorado River system, Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s weekly sampling this summer has led to zero new discoveries of the invasive species. This does not mean, however, that zebra mussels — notorious for their prolific reproduction and destruction of ecosystems and infrastructure — are gone from the basin or that the battle to curb their spread is over.  When zebra mussels establish a prese…

Zebra mussel DNA detected in Utah portions of the Colorado River

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Aug. 25, 2026 — Fragments of zebra mussel DNA were recently detected in the Colorado River in Utah for the first time, and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and partner agencies are reminding boaters and other watercraft users to remain vigilant in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species. Zebra mussels are an emerging threat in the Upper Colorado River basin, with an established infestation documented near L…