I wonder if there was an introduction of competitive non-native species.
Hopefully this will spread to Tiger mussels.
But just like every other attempt by man to control nature, the 'cure' would probably be worse than the disease.
Species unable to adjust to changing environment will suffer the consequences. It’s called evolution.
Norris Lake headwaters (Clinch River) are being destroyed by Zebra Mussels
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_mussel
Now in bloom/bust cycle
Probably some kind of fish was released and is eating them.
Shellcrackers (redear sunfish), bullheads, and all catfish will gobble up mussels like candy.
It was a virus. Only affected one specie.
Biggest mystery since the unexplained mass sponge migration.
Hungry CSA soldiers would not eat those rubbery things.....
Isn’t there an explanation for scrambling scientists covered somewhere in The Far Side?
If the water is crystal clear, they may be starving.
Not happy about this. Wish they could find what’s causing it and stop it.
Find out what is killing them, then use it on the Zebra mussels and Quagga mussels that are causing havoc in the Great Lakes.
Mussel “larvae” develop in the gills of fish- in other words, they require a host species of fish to propagate.
I am amazed that there are zebra mussels in the TVA lakes, Cherokee as well as Norris.
For those not familiar with the Clinch and Holston rivers in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, mussels were a major food source for the resident Indians. One way archaeologists locate old villages is by the discovery of the large mussel shell middens. Villages were almost always located on the river and there were and in fact still are (or were) lots of mussels. Some are very large say 5 inches or so long.
The Nature Conservancy purchased tracts of river area for mussel preserves. I wonder how these sort of sanctuaries are faring.
One reason for establishing the sanctuaries at least 20+ years ago was the perceived decline in mussel population.
*ping*