Flathead Lake Biological Station saw no invasive species slipped into local waters this past summer

Flathead Lake Biological Station released its 2024 Aquatic Invasive Species report recently, after pitching in to inspect more than 100,000 boats for invasive species. Nearly half of those boats originated from states with known infestations.  

Some of Montana’s neighbors have dealt with invasive zebra or quagga mussels in recent years, including the Snake River of Idaho, the Pactola Reservoir in South Dakota and Highline Lake in Colorado. 

Biological station specialist Phil Matson considered Montana fortunate that a mussel-infested boat hasn’t slipped through and introduced invasive mussels into its waters yet. 

“We had a lot of promising things coming out of the 2024 field season and I am excited to see them built upon next year,” said fellow specialist Phil Matson in the report. “Rapid detection technology is advancing and gaining traction, the Western Montana Conservation Commission is setting up its [aquatic invasive species] committee to bolster regional prevention efforts, and keen focus is being placed on all available tools as neighboring states come to grip with the reality of invasive mussels in the region.” 

This was the station’s eighth consecutive year partnering with Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to inspect watercraft. Together, the organizations found and decontaminated 42 mussel-infested watercraft. 

The biological station's aquatic invasive species program also undertook early detection sampling for zebra and quagga mussels at 31 sites on Flathead Lake and six Flathead watersheds. The samples are being analyzed by researchers for the presence of invasive mussels and their DNA. 

“To date, none of the processed samples have tested positive for the presence of invasive mussels or their DNA,” the report stated.  

The station also provided community outreach and professional training on aquatic invasive species, including teaching federal, state, tribal and local watershed associations about new loop-mediated isothermal amplification rapid detection technology. The technology can be used to detect DNA targets at the site of sample collection, with results produced in as quickly as 30 minutes. The station worked with the U.S. Forest Service and Whitefish Lake Institute to utilize the technology to advance early detection protocols at Flathead Lake, Swan Lake, Ashley Lake, Echo Lake, Little Bitterroot Lake, Lake Mary Ronan, and Hungry Horse Reservoir. 

Matson, who has spent nearly a decade working with the aquatic invasive species program, was honored with the 2024 Flathead Lakers Flathead Lake Stewardship Award in June. 

“A strong presence must be felt at the moment before a boat launches into a waterbody, so having someone on site to check the boats status is critical to preventing that one boat from spoiling it for us all,” Matson noted in the report.