Reclamation Information Sharing Environment (RISE)

Thirteen hydropower plants with invasive quagga or zebra mussel fouling were interviewed about their experience. Information was gathered about the size and operation of the facility, the mussel infestation timeline, the systems, and structures experiencing mussel fouling, the implemented control and mitigation methods, and the expenses associated with mussel management. The severity of mussel impacts was dependent on the design of the power plant and raw water usage. The size and number of generators was not indicative of the severity of impacts. The majority of plants interviewed do not completely track mussel specific maintenance and costs, therefore the estimates do not provide a complete picture of the costs associated with mussel infestations at hydropower plants. These case studies provide valuable information to managers at plants preparing for the potential arrival of dreissenid mussels.