Zebra Mussel Monitoring Sample Clauses

Zebra Mussel Monitoring. Ten reservoirs in the Covered Area are impacted at some level by zebra mussels (Figure 17). The Covered Parties commit to continue funding zebra mussel monitoring programs throughout the Covered Area during the timeframe of this agreement at a level of effort of $40,000 per year. The Covered Parties currently contract with the USGS to monitor for larvae, xXXX, and adult zebra mussels at multiple reservoirs, stream sites, and transfer pipelines within the covered area. This monitoring is an early warning system for unimpacted sites and long-term monitoring for impacted sites; the data feeds into TPWD’s Zebra Mussel Lake Status Assessment. Should USFWS and/or TPWD identify means and methods that could eradicate zebra mussels, the Covered Parties will provide in-kind (labor and materials) assistance. Although zebra mussels have not been identified as a significant threat to the Covered Species, they are highly invasive and can quickly become established in waterbodies, particularly reservoirs, and may directly or indirectly threaten ecosystems that support the Covered Species in ways not fully understood at this time. Continued monitoring by the Covered Parties will improve the understanding of potential impacts from zebra mussels and other invasive species and help inform Adaptive Management over the life of the agreement.