The Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel will not be added to Canada's endangered species list for the time being.
The federal government has decided to take more time studying the mussel before making a final decision about whether or not the species should be protected.
It's welcome news to the Executive Director of the Okanagan Basin Water Board. According to Anna Warwick Sears, discovery of the mussel near public beaches and boating areas had halted efforts to manage Eurasian Watermilfoil along the shoreline.
"We believe this is a good balanced approach that allows us to continue to do this very important control of invasive species' and protect the water quality in the habitat for a lot of other organisms."
If allowed to fester, milfoil can have a major negative impact on water quality. The decaying weed mucks up the water, harming other plants and animals living in the lake. It also makes swimming very unpleasant for humans.
"We go out there every winter with these big underwater rototillers and pull up the weeds." said Sears. “It doesn't take care of it. You can't eradicate it but it brings down the density."
The decision to withhold the mussel from the endangered species list paves the way for rototilling to resume this winter, provided the BC Government renews the Water Board's operating permit.