The Baltimore Sun recently reported on an alien mussel species
that was found in the Susquehanna River by a fish survey team.
(click here for full story) In short, a single zebra mussel was
scooped from inside a water intake pipe and is now being tested
for positive identification. Invasive species experts fear that
a larger population of this species could be growing, a species
that is capable of clogging public water systems and hydro-
electric dams, destroying native species of mollusks, and
causing millions of dollars in damage. Researchers at the
National Aquarium agree that large populations of zebra mussels
could lead to big problems for the Susquehanna River, however,
it should be noted that this species will most likely not
survive in the salty waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This invasive
species is a known for its rapid population growth in the Great
Lakes. Therefore, it is possible that zebra mussels could expand
into the upper Bay in springtime when salinities are very low.
So if the species were ab