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1,100lb Mussel Masher Fights Aquatic Invaders
4 May
Summary
- UW-Milwaukee scientists use a 1,100-pound mussel masher.
- Invasive mussels cost $1 billion annually in damages.
- Feds offer $550,000 prize challenge for innovative solutions.
Invasive mussels pose a significant threat to freshwater ecosystems, costing an estimated $1 billion each year in damages and control efforts. Scientists at UW-Milwaukee are utilizing a unique 1,100-pound 'mussel masher' to remove these invasive species from Lake Michigan.
These mussels, including zebra and quagga varieties, attach to submerged equipment, causing extensive maintenance issues and damaging infrastructure like dams and hydropower plants. Their microscopic offspring can easily spread via boat ballast water, creating a persistent challenge for eradication.
Federal agencies, recognizing the urgency, have introduced a $550,000 prize challenge coordinated with NASA. This initiative aims to solicit innovative, non-harmful solutions for inactivating or excluding invasive mussels and larvae from boat ballast systems.
Submissions for the challenge are being accepted, with initial concept papers due by May 29, 2026. Winners of the preliminary phase will receive up to $25,000, with subsequent stages offering opportunities for prototype development and a grand prize of $125,000 for the most effective concept.
