California’s Water Wars Get a New Invader

Golden mussels do not vote, hire lobbyists or contribute to campaigns. But the invasive species taking over California’s system of canals and pumps holds a lot of power in Sacramento these days. It’s bringing some of the state’s warring water factions together, while giving others a new reason to fight.

The thumbnail-size mollusks, native to Southeast Asia and first discovered in North America near the Port of Stockton in 2024, reproduce rapidly, cling by the thousands to hard surfaces and clog the pipes, pumps and screens that keep water moving.