Fong Leads Golden Mussel Roundtable to Protect Central Valley Water Infrastructure

BAKERSFIELD, CA - Yesterday, Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) led a breakfast roundtable with SEPRO Water, bringing together water agencies, farmers, farm bureaus, local government officials, and industry leaders to discuss the growing threat posed by invasive golden mussels to California's water infrastructure.

The event convened stakeholders on the front lines of one of the most significant emerging threats to the Central Valley's water supply. Golden mussels have spread rapidly through the state's interconnected waterways, threatening the canals, pumps, and reservoirs that farmers and communities across the region depend on every day.

"Golden mussels are one of the most urgent threats to the Central Valley's water infrastructure," said Congressman Fong. "This invasive pest is spreading rapidly through our waterways and threatening the water infrastructure our communities depend on. The Central Valley produces one in four food items on Americans' plates, meaning a threat to our water systems is a threat to our nation's food security. We are acting with a sense of urgency and I'm grateful to have strong local partners in this fight."

"Golden mussels have spread quickly through California's connected water systems, threatening critical water delivery infrastructure that communities depend on for drinking water and agriculture," said Andrea Sealock, Regional Manager - West at SEPRO Water. "This challenge requires collaboration between water districts and state and federal agencies to strengthen early detection, share field knowledge, and advance practical management strategies. This discussion is an important step toward the coordinated response needed to protect California's water systems, and we appreciate Rep. Fong's leadership in meeting with key stakeholders."

Congressman Fong has been a leading voice in Congress on the golden mussel threat. Earlier this year, he secured $5 million in the Fiscal Year 2027 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act for the San Joaquin Valley Golden Mussel Watercraft Inspection Program that would strengthen prevention, monitoring, and rapid-response efforts. In May, this legislation passed the House Appropriations Committee.

Congressman Fong also led a bipartisan group of Central Valley representatives in urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to make emergency federal resources available to combat the threat. The letter called for increased funding for early detection, rapid response, and containment; stronger coordination among federal agencies; expedited listing of golden mussels on the injurious species list under the Lacey Act; and development of a national golden mussel control and management plan.

Kern County, San Joaquin County, Yolo County, and Sacramento County have declared local states of emergency in response to the growing infestation. A single female golden mussel can produce up to one million eggs annually, allowing populations to expand at a devastating rate. Colonies attach to pipelines, pumps, and other water infrastructure, restricting water flow, damaging equipment, driving up maintenance costs, and potentially causing catastrophic failures of water systems.

The Central Valley grows nearly a quarter of the nation's food. If golden mussels compromise the water infrastructure that makes that production possible, the consequences will be felt not just in the Central Valley, but in grocery stores and communities across the country.