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reduce, and perhaps to prevent further westward spread of the exotic zebra mussel across the North American Continental Divide. However, during the course of this evaluation, it became evident that some western areas could The goal of this report is to determine the feasibility of reducing and preventing further western spread of the zebra mussel, and what role might the Service have in this en- deavor. Objectives were: (1) to remain free of zebra mussel contamina- determine probable pathways and tion if certain management techniques were implemented. Because an uncontaminated buffer zone between the Continental Divide and the East was considered necessary to prevent further spread of the mussel, the area to be considered was expanded to include all uncontaminated areas east of the Continental Divide. Thus, three scenarios were judged as pertinent for reducing or preventing the western spread of the mussel, as follows: how the mussel might be prevented from crossing the Continental Divide; how zebra mussels might be excluded from areas immediately east of the divide; and whether the zebra mussel might be contained to areas that are presently vectors that may be associated with the westward spread of the mussel, whether these pathways and vectors might be controlled, and how; (2) to evaluate strategies and tactics that might be used to prevent further western spread of the zebra mussel; (3) to determine what measures the Service, or others should take to monitor and control these pathways and vectors; (4) to evaluate the probable impact that may be associated with invasion of the zebra mussel into western ecosystems; and (5) to identify what actions, if any, should be taken by the Service in the near future. contaminated.