The locks, which use technology invented in the early 1800s, should be minimally impacted. Some local species of clams are going to have a tough go of it. Nutrient levels in the water will drop, and the impact on local fish populations as a result of this is uncertain. Aquatic weed distribution will change as sunlight penetrates deeper into the water of Rideau lakes and rivers. The ecology of the Rideau, like all ecologies, changes over time.
Nature is never static.
Zebra mussels are going to accelerate that change. So all we can do now is to sit back, monitor, and learn from those changes. 1997 increases in populations in the Manotick area adult mussels in Dow Lake in Ottawa. Since the public has been aware of the presence of zebra mussels in the Rideau for a number of years now, they are less apt to report findings to the Invading Species Hotline. It is still important to report sightings.