The INDEPENDENT, July 16, 2009
Aquatic invaders a threat
to Oregon’s waterways
It may be difficult to believe
that a mussel the size of a nick-
el, or a crab no larger than the
palm of your hand could devas-
tate entire bodies of water or
obliterate
native
Oregon
species, but they can – and
they are.
In Oregon, New Zealand
mud snails and aquatic weeds
such as Eurasian milfoil are
some of the primary culprits.
These destructive invaders are
turning up in lakes, rivers and
bays and wreaking havoc on
the state’s treasured waters. In
nearby states such as Califor-
nia, Nevada and Arizona quag-
ga and zebra mussels are al-
ready squeezing out native
plant and aquatic life and cost-
ing millions of dollars in mainte-
nance and restoration efforts.
These non-native invaders clog
water intake pipes, pumps and
underwater screens at water
treatment plants; build up on
and damage docks, buoys and
beaches; destroy boat engines;
and harm wildlife by degrading
native ecosystems and eating
their food.
One of the most serious
threats not yet known to occur
in Oregon is an aggressive
aquatic plant called hydrilla.
This destructive invader can
completely clog waterbodies,
create poor habitat for fish,
smother wildlife and alter water
quality by raising pH, decreas-
ing oxygen and increasing tem-
perature – and it’s already liv-
ing in neighboring states in-
cluding California, Idaho and
Washington.
Whether plant or aquatic an-
imal, these invasive species
have common characteristics:
they were transported into the
region via cargo vessel, recre-
ational boat or by other human
activity, and have the ability to
devastate our water bodies, de-
grade water quality and destroy
fish and plant life.
The Oregon State Marine
Board advocates that boaters
must play a critical role in halt-
ing the spread of aquatic in-
vaders. Boats provide the per-
fect ride for aquatic hitchhikers,
and just one boat launched into
a lake or river with an invasive
aquatic species aboard could
infest an entire water body.
Boaters can protect our treas-
ured waterways simply by
cleaning and decontaminating
their watercraft after use in any
water body.
“An informed public and an
active effort to prevent new in-
troductions of invasive species
is extremely important,” said
Glenn Dolphin, Clean Marina
Coordinator of the Oregon
State Marine Board. “Infesta-
tions will not only hurt our na-
tive wildlife but will also com-
promise the usability of water
bodies and take millions of dol-
lars to combat.”
The quagga mussel, for ex-
ample, was brought to the
Great Lakes from the Caspian
Sea during the 1980s in the
ballast water of a cargo ship. It
has since multiplied out of con-
trol in East Coast states, and
recently hitched a ride on an
unwashed boat to Lake Mead
in Nevada. As a result of this
2,000-mile journey to Lake
Mead, the mussel is harming
local fish hatcheries, causing
damage to boat engines and
threatening the operation of the
Hoover Dam by clogging water
intakes and turbines.
“Oregon has many precious
natural resources, its water
bodies being among the most
utilized and treasured in the
state,” said Glenn Dolphin.
“The plants and animals of Ore-
gon’s waters have evolved over
time into a complex but delicate
relationship with each other
and their environment. Intro-
ducing harmful non-native
species into Oregon waters can
upset the balance of the
ecosystem, hurting the environ-
ment and jeopardizing all of the
things that make our water-
ways special.”
The Oregon State Marine
Board is urging boaters, fisher-
men and other recreation en-
thusiasts to take precautions
Page 15
Power of the People
By W. Marc Farmer, General Manager,
West Oregon Electric Cooperative
WOEC Annual
Meeting Set
The date, place and
time have been set for the
65th Annual Meeting for
West Oregon Electric Co-
operative. Registration will
begin at 10:00 a.m. with
the business meeting starting at 11:00 a.m. on
Saturday, August 22nd. The business meeting,
followed by the BBQ luncheon at noon will once
again be held at the Scout Cabin in Hawkins
Park. There will be door prizes and free goodies
and you must be present to win. For those plan-
ning on attending, you will need to RSVP when
you receive your annual meeting packets in the
mail. Included in the packet is information re-
garding the meeting, RSVP information for the
luncheon so we can prepare enough food for all
attending, and your official mail-in ballot to vote
for the Board of Directors positions open for
election this year.
Speaking of Board of Director elections, this
year there are three Board positions that will be
determined by a vote of the membership. District
#1 will have incumbent Director Bernard Bird
running along with Brian Baker, District #4 has
Joe Riley running unopposed, and District #6
has incumbent Director Dixie London being op-
posed by Jonelle Stroup. Board members are
voted on by all of the membership, not just by
District, so it is very important for all to take the
and help prevent the prolifera-
tion of these species. Thor-
oughly cleaning boats, trailers
and equipment after being in
any water body is extremely im-
portant. Boaters are also urged
to immediately report suspect-
ed infestations at 1-866-IN-
VADER.
“Boaters may think this is a
small problem, but it’s far from
it,” said Glenn Dolphin. “We
need boaters to take this issue
seriously and help combat what
has the potential to become a
dire situation for native wildlife,
as well as for all of the people
State Farm ®
Providing Insurance and Financial Services
Home Office, Bloomington, Illinois 61710
Bunny Girt, Agent
1229 N. Adair
PO Box 543
Cornelius, OR 97113-0543
Bus 503-357-3131 Fax 503-357-9667
bunny.girt.b71g@statefarm.com
time to cast their vote for those Board candi-
dates they wish to represent them for the next
three years. Please take the time to fill out the
ballot and mail it back or drop it by the office. If
you are planning to attend, please call the office
at 503-429-3021 or email sarahr@west
oregon.org to RSVP the number of people at-
tending so that we can make adequate prepara-
tions for food.
As a member-owned electric utility, this is
your chance to be an active part of the Co-op
through your vote for representation on the
Board of Directors and by attending the meeting
to hear reports on the financial status, opera-
tions, and management of your cooperative.
This is your chance to ask questions and partic-
ipate. We welcome the opportunity to interact
with our members and make sure your questions
and input are heard and we’ve responded.
At this year’s meeting, Board President
Robert VanNatta will give an update on the Ore-
gon State Legislative Session and the Federal
Legislation so far and how they are or will impact
West Oregon. I will be presenting an update on
the results of the last FEMA event this winter
from the snow storms, current events, and the
rate increase in our wholesale power rate from
Bonneville Power Administration and its impact
on our rates here at WOEC. Darlene McLeod,
Manager of Administration & Finance, will pro-
vide a financial report for 2008 and bring you
current on our financials so far in 2009. Steve
Scott, Engineering/Operations Manager will up-
date us on WOEC projects. It will be an informa-
tive meeting with a delicious lunch and great
door prizes. We’d love to see you there for our
65th Annual Meeting.
who enjoy Oregon’s scenic wa-
ter bodies.”
For more information about
the Oregon State Marine
Board’s clean boating program
and the nuisance species af-
fecting Oregon, visit www.boa-
toregon.com/OSMB/clean/ANS
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