Quagga/Zebra mussels colonize pipes, docks, locks, ship hulls, water intake pipes, other mollusks and cause extensive damage to water treatment facilities.
Quagga/Zebra mussels disrupt the food chain by consuming nutrients used by other species. Due to massive populations, Quagga/Zebra mussels can consume so much plant life that water begins to clear up. Parks personnel in the Great Lakes region report that water once visible to depths of 6 to 12 inches have been clearing up to astonishing depths of 10 to 12 feet. Clearer water negatively affects aquatic ecosystems. Many small aquatic animals no longer have sufficient nutrients.
Quagga/Zebra mussels are filter feeders that absorb heavy metals, trace elements, toxins, and chemical contaminants in their tissues. These absorbents can be passed up the food chain when these mussels are eaten by water fowl and other organisms. There have been massive die-offs of water fowl in the Great Lakes region due to Quagga and Zebra Mussels.