HydroOS tracks the spread, the treatment economics, and the regulatory path for the operators and growers in its way.
The Golden Mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) was first found in North America at the Port of Stockton in October 2024. It tolerates lower calcium and warmer water than zebra and quagga mussels, and it has moved the length of the State Water Project. Agencies own awareness and prevention — but stop short of recommending a treatment.
San Joaquin County declared a local emergency; Kern County followed.
County declarations, 2026One district's ~30-day copper treatment — called "unsustainable," leadership "open to other solutions."
Arvin-Edison · SJV WaterFederal Golden Mussel Eradication & Control Act of 2026 — ~$15M/yr through 2030, industry-eligible grants.
Sen. Schiff (lead), Sen. Padilla (cosponsor) · schiff.senate.govThe incumbent stack: costly, labor-heavy, and raising water-quality and corrosion concerns.
Maven's Notebook · SJV Water"There are currently no effective methods to rapidly eliminate active golden mussel infestations or restore blocked water infrastructure once fouling has occurred."— Based on guidance from the California Department of Water Resources and operational input from John Bison, Bennett & Bennett Irrigation Systems
HydroOS works two distinct fronts of California's water chemistry. Pick the one that's yours — they're handled separately, with separate teams and separate evidence.
For reservoirs, canals, intakes, and conveyance facing settlement and biofouling pressure. We help districts get ahead of it — before the next treatment cycle.
For hard, alkaline, high-bicarbonate, and saline irrigation water that scales emitters, locks up nutrients, and drags down infiltration.
Most California irrigation and reservoir water arrives alkaline and high in bicarbonate — the indigo end of the scale. The legacy answer is a continuous chemical stack: acid, gypsum, copper, chlorine. It's expensive, it fights the symptom, and operators are saying so out loud.
HydroOS starts from the water itself. Bring the chemistry back to the target zone, and the system downstream — soil, infiltration, infrastructure — has a chance to follow. That's the lens we bring to every problem on this page.
And the record it builds is yours to move: HydroOS ships a documented API so your readings, sites, and alerts can live in your own systems too.
Our signature is the science: the calibration strip, and the move back to the target zone where water — and the system it feeds — works.
Tell us where your water sits and we'll send the right starting point — and route you to a person, not a cart.
The Golden Mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) is an invasive freshwater mussel first detected in North America at the Port of Stockton in October 2024. It tolerates lower calcium, lower salinity, and warmer water than zebra and quagga mussels, which lets it colonize a wider range of California reservoirs, canals, and intakes — clogging infrastructure and fouling water systems. CDFW; USGS
The current toolkit is copper-based products (EarthTec QZ, Natrix CA), chlorine, UV, and potassium chloride. These can be effective but are costly and labor-intensive; at least one Kern County district has described its multi-million-dollar copper program as unsustainable and said it is open to other solutions. SJV Water; Maven's Notebook
HydroOS is developing a biological approach (GoldenpHlo) and intends to pursue an emergency-use exemption (FIFRA Section 18). It is not yet registered, and we make no efficacy or control claims at this stage — what we offer districts now is response planning, validation trial design, and funding navigation while the technology and its authorization advance.
GoldenpHlo is being evaluated by California water agencies and commercial infrastructure operators following laboratory results demonstrating 100% mussel mortality in 14 hours, shell detachment in 24 hours, and shell decomposition within 48 hours. The product is organic, non-toxic, and has shown no observed corrosion or material compatibility issues during testing. Field evaluations are underway. GoldenpHlo remains in development and is not yet registered; HydroOS intends to pursue an emergency-use exemption (FIFRA Section 18).
High-bicarbonate, alkaline water (HCO₃⁻ above ~2 meq/L with pH above 7.5) drives emitter scaling and poor infiltration, and is usually managed with continuous sulfuric or urea-sulfuric acid plus gypsum. AguapHlo is a biological water conditioner that corrects hardness, alkalinity, and bicarbonate and improves infiltration as a biological alternative to that routine. Start with a water test and we'll read it back to you.