BOLTON LANDING —
A thumbnail-sized clam blamed for clouding the azure bays of Lake Tahoe high in the Sierra Nevada has now turned up in Lake George — renowned for its clear, spring-fed waters.
The invasive Asian clam is known as the "golden clam" in the aquarium trade and the "good luck clam" in its native southeast Asia. But in Lake George, scientists call it an unwelcome visitor that could cause ecological and economic harm.
A search launched after some of the clams were found at a sandy beach in August turned up no additional infestations. So they may not have spread around the 32-mile-long lake. Researchers are making plans to contain and eradicate the known colony.
Besides promoting algae overgrowth, the clams can promote overgrowth of algae, clog water intake pipes, and their sharp shells can befoul swimming beaches.
