Prevention is the lake’s best protection against invasive golden mussels
This article was originally published in Tahoe In Depth, Issue 32, Spring 2026.
Invasive golden mussels are one of the greatest threats to Lake Tahoe. Discovered in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in 2024, these harmful mollusks have since infested waters as far south as San Diego. But there is good news: golden mussels appear to be limited to waterways connected to the California Water Project, and with the help of boaters and paddlers, they won’t spread beyond.
Photo by: Agustina Medina, iNaturalist
Golden mussels are a major threat to Lake Tahoe. They spread to new waterbodies by attaching to boats and paddlecraft used in infested areas, like the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Golden mussels cannot walk from one body of water to another; they rely on hitchhiking. Watercraft are the primary transporters of aquatic invasive species (AIS) to new waterbodies, but this can be prevented with inspections, decontaminations, and Clean, Drain, Dry protocols. In 2025, the Lake Tahoe Watercraft Inspection Program implemented mandatory decontaminations to strengthen safeguards for Lake Tahoe. This year, a 50 percent discount on decontamination fees rewards boaters’ vigilance against AIS when they arrive Clean, Drained, and Dry. Learn more about inspections and fees at TahoeBoatInspections.com.
Kayaks, inflatables, and other beach gear can also transport invasive species like the golden mussel. Microscopic mussel larvae can survive overland transport in water left in hatches, cockpits, and storage bags. Agencies around the Tahoe Basin remind all beachgoers to ensure that their gear is free of mud, water, plants, and animals before and after every launch.
Need a refresher on Clean, Drain, Dry protocol? Join more than 8,000 paddlers and protect Lake Tahoe from aquatic invaders by becoming a Tahoe Keeper at TahoeKeepers.org.
McKenzie Koch is the AIS outreach and education specialist at TRPA.
Click here to read more articles from the 32nd issue of TRPA’s environmental newspaper, including updates to forest health standards, the comeback of gray wolves in the Sierra Nevada, and the historic Fanny Bridge replacement project in Tahoe City.