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The Jefferson Exchange

Crayfish And Crater Lake Don't Mix

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Crater Lake is basking in its winter magnificence.  There's been so much snow this winter, the rim of the lake has been unreachable by car for extended periods. 

And below the surface of the lake, an unwelcome creature lurks: the crayfish. 

Crayfish were introduced to Crater Lake a century ago as part of a fish-stocking program. 

They've come to rule the roost, at the expense of native inhabitants like the Mazama newt.  Biologists Mark Buktenica and Scott Girdner talk about the issues created by the crayfish, and the methods considered for controlling their populations.  

Jes Burns of our EarthFix unit prepared this piece, which aired nationally on PBS:

 

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Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.