EcoAnalysts, Inc. has recently been awarded a contract by the US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR – Denver, CO) to provide staff support for the Bureau’s zebra mussel/quagga mussel monitoring efforts throughout 17 western states. The project involves field sampling activities at BOR waters, laboratory analyses for the detection of veligers, and PCR analysis for species confirmation. Up to 25 personnel will be stationed at BOR facilities in Denver, Bismarck, Boise, Boulder City, Salt Lake City, and Sacramento.

The contract is in effect through December 31, 2010, has an option for a one year extension, and has a maximum funding limit of just over $1 million per year. Funding for the contract comes from the American Resource Recovery Act (ARRA).

Zebra and quagga mussels are aquatic invasive species that have had catastrophic impacts in the ecosystems in which they have become established. They occlude municipal and industrial water intake structures, requiring millions of dollars annually to treat. They negatively impact aquatic ecosystems as they harm native organisms, out-compete other filter feeders, and collapse populations that fish rely on for food.

EcoAnalysts is the recognized industry leader for services supporting the bioassessment of surface waters (freshwater, estuarine, marine) using biological communities. Services include: taxonomic identification of aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, algae, zooplankton, and fish; ecological research and consulting; and rare, threatened, endangered, or invasive invertebrate species surveys.

As the largest bioassessment laboratory in North America, EcoAnalysts processes over 5,000 surface water samples annually and has completed projects throughout North America as well as Suriname, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, and India. For questions or inquiries, please contact EcoAnalysts, Inc. at (208) 882-2588 or info@ecoanalysts.com.