San Joaquin County Declares Local State Of Emergency For Invasive Golden Mussels

California has a golden mussel problem, with the invasive species wreaking havoc on boat owners who need to have their vessels inspected and in some cases restricted from launching in certain lakes. Now, San Joaquin County in the Central Valley plans to declare a local emergency. Here are some details from KCRA TV in Sacramento:

The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors passed a motion Tuesday to declare the local emergency on golden mussels, an invasive species that officials say are threatening the local ecosystem and infrastructure in Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. 

By declaring the resolution, the board of supervisors are requesting that Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaim a state of emergency and multiple state agencies, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Water of Resources and State Water Resources Control Board, provide assistance on the issue.

Golden mussels were discovered for the first time in the Port of Stockton in November 2024. Officials said the golden mussels arrived in the area by a ship traveling from an international port.