TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Decontamination of the Snake River is in its final days in the Magic Valley as specialists work to get rid of the invasive quagga mussels.
The river has been closed to all activity for two weeks, and the ten-day copper chelate treatment to eliminate mollusks is nearly complete. During the six-day Phase One of the treatment, six locations received a solution of copper chelate that is effective against the mussels.
Governor Brad Little toured the treatment site as Phase Two continues until Friday.
Little, joined by Agriculture Director Chanel Tewalt and Fish and Game Director Jim Fredericks, told reporters the rapid response of multiple agencies allowed Idaho to address the quagga situation in days, rather than weeks.
“These people that are out all night working here, applying all the product, doing all the testing, doing all the surveillance, really have the state’s future in their hands,” Little said while answering questions from reporters.
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The Idaho Department of Fish and Game’s Terry Thompson said that the department is monitoring fish mortality here in the river as a result of the treatment of the quagga mussels.
“We do detect fish mortality and we’re trying to quantify what that looks like,” Thompson told Idaho News 6.
Fish and Game said they surveyed the river’s fish population prior to the treatment being applied.
“We’re going to go back out in the coming weeks, do another survey, and that will help us understand the impacts of this copper treatment on fish populations,” Thompson said.
Nearly everyone in the Magic Valley has been affected by the closure of the six-mile stretch of the Snake.
Some, like Daniel Dane, have been hit a little harder than others.
“I go down and practice cast on the river every day,” Dane told Idaho News 6. “That all came to a halt two, and a half, three weeks now, and I really miss it a lot. It’s such a great resource.”
Daniel owns Idaho Troutfitters, and he said both his recreation and his business have taken a hit. But he understands why the closure and treatment are important.
“I was really impressed with the public meeting they had, because it calmed a lot of my fears of what was going to happen,” Dane said. “the plan that they proposed seems like a reasonable plan, and they laid it out real clear.”
The copper treatment is currently in its second phase, with two locations now relieving the molluscicide. The State Department of Agriculture plans to operate those two treatment sites until Friday the 13, at which point all equipment will be moved.
Department of Ag has hopes that the river will be slowly opened for recreational use fairly soon, and people could be able to use the river again — with precautions — in the coming weeks, not months.
