Quagga mussels detected near Twin Falls. But Idaho officials say amount is less than last year.

Quagga mussels cover an Idaho license plate. (Courtesy of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture)

For the first time this year, Idaho officials announced Friday they found invasive mussels in the Snake River near Twin Falls.

Quagga mussels, an invasive species, can clog pipes used for drinking water and irrigation. Idaho has the fifth highest share of irrigated agricultural land in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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After detecting the invasive species first in 2023 and again in 2024, Idaho officials treated the river with a chemical to kill the mussels.

But officials with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture say the amount of the river in which quag