BOISE, Idaho — A section of the Snake River in Twin Falls, which closed in September of 2023 because of the discovery of invasive quagga mussels, remains closed.
The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) said on Thursday the river remains closed between Pillar Falls and the Twin Falls Dam, which is "a critical location in determining the presence of quagga mussel(s) in the Mid-Snake River."
The closer is part of their Rapid Response Plan, which mitigates the spread of the mussel, ISDA stated.
The department said river access between Broken Bridge and Pillar Falls remains open to the public only during Centennial Park hours. This is because boaters in this section of the river must inspect their boats at the Centennial Waterfront Park Inspection and Decontamination Station before and after entering.
As previously reported in October, the ISDA treated a 6-mile stretch of the Snake River near Twin Falls to kill off the invasive quagga mussels, first detected in the river in September.
The Snake River treatment is part of the state's plan to eradicate the invasive quagga mussels, which threaten the Snake River's food chain and Idaho's waterways.
High fish mortality from the quagga mussel treatment was expected because the aggressive copper-based formula prevents the fish from taking oxygen out of the water and into their bloodstream.
ISDA previously told KTVB they saw high mortality in large-scale suckers, northern pikeminnow, yellow perch, and white sturgeon.
A complete summary of Idaho Fish and Game's survey on quagga mussel treatment's impact on fish populations can be seen here.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET NEWS FROM KTVB:
Download the KTVB News Mobile App
Apple iOS: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Watch news reports for FREE on YouTube: KTVB YouTube channel
Stream Live for FREE on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching 'KTVB'.
Stream Live for FREE on FIRE TV: Search ‘KTVB’ and click ‘Get’ to download.