Where is the zebra mussel at now?
The first established population was discovered in 1988 at Lake St. Clair, which straddles the border between the U.S. and Canada and which connects to Lake Erie and Lake Huron. They quickly spread across the Great Lakes, and are now present in the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers as far north as Stillwater.
What do you do if you find a zebra mussel?
Go to mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html to find an aquatic invasive species specialist or call (888) 646-6367. You may place the dock or lift on the adjacent shoreline, but you must remove all aquatic plants and animals before transporting it to another location for storage, cleaning or repair.
How many states have zebra mussels?
Today, zebra mussels are established in more than 600 lakes and reservoirs in at least 33 states.
Are zebra mussels still a problem?
Zebra mussels are not native to the Great Lakes. They were first discovered in the area in the late 1980s, and it has been an ongoing battle to get rid of and control them ever since.
Is there any laws about zebra mussels?
Zebra and quagga mussels are now listed as injurious under this law, and possession and transport of these mussels is prohibited in the United States, unless permited for research or other such uses.
Can zebra mussels be killed?
No chemical control agent is known to kill zebra mussels without seriously harming other aquatic life or water quality. A 2% chlorine bleach solution is effective at killing zebra mussels when cleaning boating equipment or other gear away from waterbodies.
How did zebra mussels get to California?
Despite efforts to control their western expansion, they have begun to rapidly invade California fresh water systems. Zebra mussels were first discovered in Lake St. Claire in the Great Lake Regions in 1988. Most Southern California waterways receiving raw water from the Colorado River are suspected of being infested.
How do you get rid of zebra mussels?
The treatment began in May 2014, using potassium chloride, also known as potash, a chemical fertilizer. The dosage was targeted at 100 parts per million, so as not to harm finfish, but kill the zebra mussels. By June, the work was finished.