A standardized design for quagga mussel monitoring in Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona

Authors

Wai Hing Wong, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Shawn Gerstenberger, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Jennell M. Miller, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Craig Palmer, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Bryan Moore, Lake Mead National Recreation AreaFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2011

Publication Title

Aquatic Invasions

Volume

6

Issue

2

First page number:

205

Last page number:

215

Abstract

The discovery of quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) in Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona, on January 6, 2007 is the first known occurrence of dreissenid species in the western United States. This study developed elements of a cost-effective and standardized quagga mussel-monitoring program for Lake Mead using preliminary data to arrive at statistically based numbers of sampling sites. To represent the abundance of adult/juvenile quagga mussels in Lake Mead’s heterogeneous floor with 95% confidence, a stratified simple random sampling design revealed a requirement of 41 samples from hard substrates (i.e., rocky areas) and 97 samples from soft substrates (i.e., sandy and muddy areas). A simple random sampling design demonstrated that 42 samples from the lake’s water column are necessary to represent veliger abundance with 95% confidence. Other important elements of the sampling program, such as standardization of protocols and processes and suggested data analyses, are discussed. The monitoring program, which is based on reconnaissance data, is intended to be optimized with data from its first year’s samples. The sample number-selection approach and the other elements of this plan can be easily implemented by lake managers and can also be adapted to other locations where dreissenid mussel monitoring is needed.

Keywords

Colorado River system; Dreissena rostriformis bugensis; Environmental sampling; Interagency; North America – Colorado River; Quagga mussel; Simple Random Design; Stratified Simple Random Design

Disciplines

Environmental Health and Protection | Environmental Sciences | Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology | Water Resource Management

Language

English

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the item. Publisher policy does not allow archiving the final published version. If a post-print (author's peer-reviewed manuscript) is allowed and available, or publisher policy changes, the item will be deposited.

Repository Citation

Wong, W. H., Gerstenberger, S., Miller, J. M., Palmer, C., Moore, B. (2011). A standardized design for quagga mussel monitoring in Lake Mead, Nevada-Arizona. Aquatic Invasions, 6(2), 205-215.
https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/env_occ_health_fac_articles/13