Ransom Urges Governor to Act After Witnessing Golden Mussel Impacts

STOCKTON - Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Tracy) joined San Joaquin County Supervisors Mario Gardea and Paul Canepa on Friday as divers scraped golden mussels from the Smith Canal Gate. The divers brought a sample to the surface for the group to see.

Participants included representatives from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks' Division of Boating and Waterways, the San Joaquin County Office of Emergency Services, the Port of Stockton, the San Joaquin Area Flood Control Agency and the Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species.

"San Joaquin County is leading by example in the fight against invasive golden mussels. I thank Supervisors Mario Gardea and Paul Canepa for coordinating today's tour and showing us firsthand how this species is affecting our infrastructure. We must continue working together as local, state and federal partners to protect the Delta and water resources across California.

We are at the forefront of this response in the Delta. My Golden Mussel Response Act will help water managers respond faster with approaches that meet the needs of individual sites. AB 2032 is awaiting the Governor's signature, and I urge him to sign it so we can keep this work moving forward and avert a crisis."

-Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom

Golden mussels have attached to the Smith Canal Gate, adding costly maintenance demands to a structure that helps protect approximately 8,000 Stockton property owners from flooding. One cleaning alone took about 10 hours and cost $10,000. The City of Stockton has warned that the infestation could threaten the gate's operation, underscoring the need to control the mussels before they compromise critical flood protection.

The infestation was also visible beyond the flood gate. During the tour, participants saw a car covered in golden mussels, providing another striking example of how the invasive species is taking hold in the Delta.

Golden mussels were first detected in North America near the Port of Stockton in 2024 and have since spread through California's waterways. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife warns that they can reduce water flow and affect flood control. The Department of Water Resources is also working to protect State Water Project facilities, part of a system that delivers water to 27 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland.

Assemblymember Ransom secured $6 million in the 2026-2027 state budget for five Delta decontamination sites to help keep boats and equipment from carrying mussels into more waterways. Her Golden Mussel Response Act, AB 2032, addresses infestations already in water systems by helping agencies move faster on response work and supporting control plans and research.

The bill is currently awaiting Governor Newsom's signature, and he has until September 30 to act.