Invasive golden mussels found on boat stopped at Folsom Lake decontamination site

A boat scheduled for the required decontamination and tagging at Mello Marine in Folsom was found to be heavily infested with golden mussels, an invasive species that can damage infrastructure and ecosystems. Sally Mello, who runs the facility, noted that the mussels covered the underside of the hull, marking the first such discovery among roughly 6,000 boats the team has processed since 2025. The vessel had originated in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and planned to travel onward to Oregon after visiting Folsom Lake, a reservoir that attracts more than 2 million users each year.

Officials warned that once established, golden mussels are extremely difficult to eradicate and could threaten water delivery systems and agriculture. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been notified and will conduct its own inspection, with the boat slated for a 30-day quarantine and full decontamination before returning to any waterway.