The goal of this research is to evaluate field-based protocol standards and guidelines for dreissenid mussel eDNA surveillance that generate repeatable and reproducible results in a range of challenge conditions. Federal, state and tribal managers in the West are hesitant to use environmental DNA (eDNA) surveillance of dreissenid mussels to inform decision making until there are standardized protocols for eDNA field collection and lab analysis that generate repeatable and reproducible results. Given the need to prevent dreissenid mussel spread to the Columbia River Basin, the Western Regional Panel, the Western Governors’ Association’s Biosecurity and Invasive Species Initiative, and the DOI Safeguarding the West Initiative have all identified development and evaluation of eDNA dreissenid mussel field and lab protocols as an urgent need. In FY18, Reclamation assisted with a USGS led study that evaluated eDNA lab protocols. For FY19-20, we propose to evaluate field sampling approaches that best match with anticipated field conditions (e.g., water turbidity) and with the lab analytical approaches identified in our FY18 research effort.
