Mussels

[Ryan]

You are correct. Sure would have been nice before we got infected. Not holding my breath now.

 

[bw56]

It looks like this year could be a down year for water levels. If we uncover a lot of muscles, it may not smell so nice.
We will all be wanting the sandy beaches.
Still hoping for a lot of rain and snow.

 

[Pegasus]

People that I know that only go to LP in the summer have commented to me that they have never seen any signs of mussels at the lake over the past few years - they really don't understand what is happening down 20 or 30 feet below where the water level has been in the summer the past few years.

If the water drought continues this year, I fear they will all see the horrible scene of underwater rocks 100% covered in mussels, and for those mussels on rocks just above the water level, the smell will be horrible as bw56 mentions. My guess is with another 20 feet of water level drop, the infestation of mussels will begin to be visible. At below 3600 I expect real ugliness!

 

[bubba]

I think if they are alive and the water drops resulting in a suspended in air position, the mussels let go and fall back into the water, which may explain why I see most of them at low water mark. The mussels I have seen above water line do not seem to smell, they may have died years ago. My biggest threat is they are sharp as hell and cutting myself. Use gloves if removing them from your intakes.

 

[Bill Sampson]

I see a lot of dead mussels at Lake Mead, but so far they don't have a bad smell.

 

[Ryan]

I've heard plenty of people talk (speculate?) about a smell from the dead mussels. But I have never heard any experience it.

Is this a real issue?

 

[Lost Anchor]

The smell is more of an issue where there is high humidity. In the desert, they dry out quit and don’t smell.

 

[Pegasus]

They do smell at Lake Powell - I suspect they also do dry out quicker in the desert than elsewhere, but until they dry out they do emit an odor for sure. The strongest I've smelled them at LP was during the late winter a couple of years ago when millions of them were above water level almost anywhere rocks were prior to the runoff starting. I'd describe it as smelling like low tide at an ocean marina at best, rotten fish smell at worst.