California’s water systems are facing an existential threat, and in the communities we represent, we’ve seen firsthand just how serious it has become.
Since they were first detected in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta near the Port of Stockton in 2024, golden mussels have spread rapidly across California’s State Water Project, creating a growing challenge for water managers across the state. These small mussels reproduce quickly, attach to critical infrastructure, and clog the pipes, pumps, and equipment responsible for delivering water to homes, farms, and businesses.
For a region defined by its water, the consequences are significant, especially for the farming families that grow a quarter of the nation’s food. If left unaddressed, golden mussels could threaten the water supplies of millions of people. And as the infestation spreads, the costs of managing it will only grow.
That’s why we have each made passing legislation to combat the spread of golden mussels a top priority. While our jobs in Sacramento and Washington may differ, we are fighting for the same thing: protecting California’s water and ensuring the people responsible for managing it have the tools they need to respond quickly.
In Sacramento, Assemblymember Ransom’s Golden Mussel Response Act (AB 2032) was recently signed into law by Governor Newsom, making it California’s first standalone law dedicated to accelerating the response to golden mussels. AB 2032 helps water agencies respond more efficiently to invasive mussel infestations, streamlines certain permitting requirements and supports better coordination and research. Assemblymember Ransom also recently secured $6 million in state funding for the five Delta counties to strengthen golden mussel containment efforts and help slow the spread throughout the Delta.
And in Washington, Congressman Harder’s Golden Mussel Eradication and Control Act is advancing in the U.S. House. The legislation would support research, demonstration projects, and partnerships to help communities address the infestation, and it received bipartisan support and federal agency backing. Companion legislation has also been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla.
These efforts reflect a shared understanding: Golden mussels do not recognize city limits, county lines or state and federal jurisdictions. Our response cannot be confined by those boundaries either.
Water systems throughout California are interconnected. What begins as a problem in one part of the state can have consequences for communities and industries far beyond it.
Assemblymember Ransom’s AB 2032 helps water agencies move more quickly to
protect their infrastructure, but they cannot be expected to confront a threat of this magnitude on their own. Just as the mussels can move through interconnected water systems, our response must extend across jurisdictions.
We need a coordinated response that brings together local water districts, state and federal agencies, scientists, agricultural leaders, businesses and communities across California. That means sharing information, identifying infestations early and ensuring those working to contain the spread have access to proven, science-based management strategies.
Early detection is particularly important. The sooner golden mussels are identified, the better positioned communities and water managers are to assess risks, develop response plans and protect vulnerable infrastructure. But detection is only the first step. Once golden mussels are established, controlling their populations and limiting the damage they cause requires sustained treatment and management efforts, often at significant cost.
We also need to recognize that there is no single solution for every water system. California’s waterways, reservoirs and delivery infrastructure present different challenges, and controlling existing infestations and reducing their impact must be a priority. Effective management requires research, monitoring, and treatment strategies tailored to local conditions.
Sustained state funding and additional federal investment is needed to support these efforts and give communities more resources to protect critical water infrastructure.
Water managers, agricultural leaders, businesses and local communities are already working to address this growing threat. Our priority at the state and federal levels is to ensure they have the resources, flexibility and support to respond quickly and effectively.
As golden mussels spread across California, more communities are seeing firsthand why we have made this issue a priority in Sacramento and Washington. What began in the Delta is now a statewide concern, and California cannot afford to treat golden mussels as an isolated regional problem. The decisions we make today will help determine the costs our communities face tomorrow.
We are committed to continuing this work together to advance practical solutions, support affected communities, and protect California’s water infrastructure.
California’s water systems do not stop at jurisdictional lines. Neither can our response to golden mussels.
Josh Harder represents California’s 9th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rhodesia Ransom represents California’s 13th Assembly District in the California State Assembly.