Reclamation Information Sharing Environment (RISE)

This study explores the impacts of mussels through an evaluation of costs associated with mussel prevention strategies, ecological proxies, and costs of capital investments and operations and maintenance (O&M) expenditures to mitigate mussel-related damages at hydropower facilities. Watercraft inspection and decontamination (WID) stations are the primary strategy used to prevent the spread and introduction of dreissenid mussels throughout the West. The 2019 average annual WID budget was approximately $1,605,900. Control cost data collected through a survey from S&T Project 1876 showed that surveyed hydropower facilities experienced negative economic impacts related to control or mitigation of mussel-related damages. Facilities surveyed have spent approximately $10 million in total on preventative control measures since mussel inception. Facilities surveyed spend approximately $464,000 annually on increased maintenance. Total reoccurring maintenance costs for facilities surveyed were $650,000 per occurrence. Facilities surveyed spend approximately $88,000 in total annually on monitoring. Mussel infestation can have a variety of ecological impacts which can result in negative economic impacts. This analysis did not attempt to quantify lost ecosystem benefits, but rather it relied on existing studies to estimate a range of values for lost ecosystem or social benefits. This study provides evidence that mussels management strategies provide considerable value to the nation.