A costly invasive species appears to have made it to Utah's Colorado River segment

MOAB — DNA fragments from zebra mussels have been detected in Utah's section of the Colorado River for the first time, raising new concerns for the river because of the challenges that the species is associated with.

The DNA fragments were found within four of 22 samples collected in June and July near the Potash Boat Ramp, nearly 15 miles downstream of Moab, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials said in a statement on Tuesday.

It follows an infestation that was found last year near Loma, Colorado, just upstream of the Utah-Colorado border.

Zebra mussels, much like quagga mussels, which have been an issue at Lake Powell, are invasive and clog pipes and infrastructure, while also creating new hazards on rocks and beaches, potentially causing millions in damage. Combined, the two cost billions of dollars in water infrastructure damages every year, the U.S. Geological Survey noted in 2010.

They can also alter ecosystems, said Lt. Bruce Johnson, statewide aquatic invasive species operations leader of the Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement.

It's unclear how zebra mussel DNA entered the river in Colorado and Utah, but both species are also often spread through vessels that aren't properly cleaned between launching in a body of water with mussels and then a body of water without them.

Utah began regular sampling for zebra mussels after the Loma infestation was discovered. The Utah Division of Law Enforcement plans to work with the U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service to figure out the next steps.

In the meantime, Utah wildlife biologists and Department of Natural Resources officers are urging all boaters to rinse off their vessels after using them. All boaters are already required to complete an annual boater course about mussels, while motorized boaters must also pay an invasive species program enrollment fee.

Nonmotorized boaters, being one of the primary users of the Colorado River upstream of Lake Powell, are the "first line of defense in helping reduce this risk of transporting this species from the Colorado River to other waters in the state," said Trina Hedrick, sportfish coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

"It is critical for anyone who uses boats, paddleboards, kayaks and any other watercraft to adhere to all the laws and to clean, drain and dry their watercraft in order to prevent these aquatic invasive species from spreading further into Utah," Johnson added.

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