Is the Rocky Mountain Ridge Mussel actually endangered?

The mayor of Vernon wants to review the science behind declaring the Rocky Mountain Ridge Mussel (RMRM) as an endangered species.

As a result of the designation, the province is restricting the use of rototilling on Kin Beach and related areas for eurasian milfoil management undertaken by the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB).

Victor Cumming has filed a notice of motion for the December council meeting to review the most current data with the idea of challenging provincial restrictions on milfoil control.

“To maintain the quality of the swimming areas, rototilling has proven to be the most effective management tool to deal with lake bottom eurasian milfoil mats and subsequent plant growth in the summer season,” Cumming said.

The restrictions have stymied rototilling as a management method for controlling eurasian milfoil, and restricting management to in-season harvesting of their tops only. That method is much less effective for controlling weed growth and does not address the weed mats on the lake bottom. The net impact has been a consistent lowering of the quality of the Kin Beach swimming area plus other in-water biological impacts from the weed mats. Tourism officials are concerned that the water quality degradation will have an impact on tourists using the beach.

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New research in multiple beach areas of Okanagan Lake have identified hundreds of mussels in multiple patches previously not inventoried, including the proposed dog beach areas adjacent to Kin Beach and in areas rototilled for multiple decades.

Rocky Mountain Ridge Mussels (freshwater) were listed as “endangered” in 2010 after being listed as “Designated Special Concern” in 2003 according to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

“There has been significant new research done in 2015, and more recently, that has not been taken into account,” Cumming said.

The motion calls on administration to identify and investigate the underlying science related to RMRMs in the east arm of Okanagan Lake and the related “endangered” listing and report to council. That may involve retaining a consultant or using expertise from the OBWB.

The designation has also cost the city about $25,000 extra in locating the new Greater Vernon Water intake off Tronson Road near Kin Beach.

The motion concludes that to prevent further decline in the main east arm of Okanagan Lake beaches from eurasian milfoil rototilling restrictions and costly additions to new water intake infrastructure, it is critical to clarify the science behind the classification the RMRM as endangered.