Water agencies in California’s San Joaquin Valley are desperately trying to figure out the best way to combat an influx of golden mussels.
What’s happening?
San Joaquin Valley water agencies have discovered golden mussels clogging up pipes and equipment from Stockton to Arvin, according to Maven’s Notebook.
In December 2025, the Arvin-Edison Water Storage District discovered golden mussels in its pipes and equipment. This led Friant Water Authority to do a thorough inspection of the Friant-Kern Canal. There, they found a plethora of this invasive species and went to work removing as many as possible.
The agencies said that ensuring these mussels don’t reach the upper watershed of the San Joaquin River or Millerton Lake is vital to protecting the entire Friant system…