Zebra mussels are collapsing structures and pipes in Spain's Ebro River since 2001 with a population of 40,000 per square meter

Northeastern Spain is grappling with the persistent threat of zebra mussels, an invasive species that has been wreaking havoc on water infrastructure since 2001. The mussels' relentless spread through reservoirs, irrigation canals, and distribution networks is disrupting water supplies, particularly in Catalonia's Lleida province.

Water management experts, who have been monitoring the situation for over two decades, emphasize the urgent need for long-term structural measures to curb the mussels' advance. The species, native to the Ponto-Caspian region, arrived in Spain via recreational boats or live fish transport and has demonstrated an extraordinary reproductive capacity. A single adult can produce up to a million gametes during breeding seasons, allowing them to colonize aquatic systems with remarkable speed.

The impact on infrastructure is severe. Densities of up to 40,000 mussels per square meter have been recorded in some irrigation ponds, leading to total blockages in smaller pipelines and significant hydraulic capacity losses of up to 70% in larger conduits. This drastically undermines the efficiency of water delivery systems.

Biologists like Antoni Palau from the University of Lleida believe that living alongside the zebra mussels is now "inevitable." He argues that the only practical solution is to adapt existing infrastructure to accommodate the new reality, proposing measures such as duplicating facilities to allow for cleaning and repairs without interrupting water flow.

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Living alongside the species is now inevitable and argues that the only viable solution is to adapt infrastructure to this new reality.