BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Kern County Board of Supervisors is expected to declare a state of emergency in Kern due to invasive golden mussels and seek immediate help from the state, according to the meeting agenda for Tuesday.
The agenda said Kern County’s economy and public health heavily rely on imported water supplies through state and federal-run conveyance systems.
Invasive golden mussels, also known as Limnoperna fortunei and native to China and Southeast Asia, are currently in county water infrastructure, such as the California Aqueduct and associated facilities.
Most of these water systems are managed and run by state and federal agencies, according to county officials.
Officials said the invasive mollusk species could affect not just drinking water supply, but also Kern County’s agriculture, oil and gas operations, recreational water activities, tourism, ecosystems, wildlife and more.
The infestation is not hypothetical and poses “immediate operational risks,” officials said in the agenda.
“This is not a speculative or emerging threat,” Board Chair Phillip Peters said in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, “it is an active infestation within critical infrastructure that supports municipal water delivery, agricultural irrigation, groundwater recharge, and industrial operations across the Central Valley and beyond.”
Declaring a state of local emergency would let Kern stakeholders seek state and federal assistance, according to the agenda. It would also reinforce the need for a statewide approach and resources to address this issue.
The Board is also asking Newsom to proclaim a state of emergency and have appropriate state agencies provide support for Kern and the Central Valley.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, golden mussels were first found in the U.S. in October 2024 at a water quality station in San Joaquin County.
On April 28, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors proclaimed a local emergency in response to the golden mussels infestation.
The Arvin-Edison Water Storage District and Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District — both local water districts — each committed millions of dollars to large-scale treatment programs, which underscore the significance of the golden mussels threat, according to the agenda.
While aggressive intervention can be effective, county officials said treatments are extremely expensive, labor-intensive and may need to be repeated due to the mussel’s rapid breeding cycle.
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Officials also said the Kern County Water Agency has begun emergency coordination and planning with state drinking water regulators after finding rapid infestation in the Cross Valley Canal and water delivery infrastructure for customers.
The infestation is placing another burden on top of the ongoing drought and groundwater sustainability requirements that already put a strain on water resources for the county, according to the agenda.
The Board is set to consider the local emergency proclamation during its regular meeting at 2 p.m. May 12 at 1115 Truxtun Ave.
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