What starts as a single mollusk, plant, insect or bird can spread into a force that changes the Northwest landscape for generations

When an alarm at the watercraft inspection station gate sounds to signal another boat is crossing the Washington-Idaho border, Fin the dog barks excitedly. On an early September afternoon, Fin — the only invasive-mussel-detecting dog in Washington — is guided by his handler, Nick Knauss, as they inspect yet another of more than 600 boats crossing the state line via Interstate 90 after Labor Day weekend…