CJBS - The first article provided by Eric stated "C. leana has created economic problems for industry by plugging water lines, blocking valves, and contaminating gravel." C. leana is not C. flumenia but a very similar species in the same genus. I'm not sure of the mechanism that the clam uses to grow in pipe or wet areas but I do know that the Duquesne Light Co in Shippingport PA annually removed them by the dump truck loads from their cooling towers.
Bill, from the Global Invasive Species Database:
Ecologically, C. fluminea can outcompete many native clam species for food and space (PNNL 2003). The introduction of C. fluminea into the United States has resulted in the clogging of water intake pipes, affecting power, water, and other industries. Nuclear service water systems (for fire protection) are very vulnerable, jeopardising fire protection. In 1980, the costs of correcting this problem were estimated at 1 billion dollars annually. C. fluminea causes these problems because juveniles are weak-swimmers, and consequently they are pushed to the bottom of the water column where intake pipes are usually placed. They are pulled inside the intakes, where they attach, breed, and die. The intake pipe become clogged with live clams, empty shells, and dead body tissues. Buoyant, dead clams can also clog intake screens.
Would this relate to pipes used in water level management systems people use in their ponds?
Also, from the Global Invasive Species Database:
C. fluminea is found in lakes and streams of all sizes with silt, mud, sand, and gravel substrate (INHS 1996). They can tolerate salinities of up to 13 ppt for short periods (Aguirre and Poss 1999) and temperatures between 2 and 30 degrees Celsius, or 86 degrees Fahrenheit, (Balcom 1994). It prefers fine, clean sand, clay, and coarse sand substrates (Aguirre and Poss 1999). It is usually found in moving water because it requires high levels of dissolved oxygen. C. fluminea is generally intolerant of pollution.
It mentions how it usually found in moving water because it requires high levels of DO. I have also found them in several small reservoirs. Might this requirement of high DO, help keep the population in check or perhaps preclude it from establishment in the pond I am thinking about adding them to?
