Parks managers in Minnesota said they’ve spotted zebra mussels in a remote corner of their state.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says it has confirmed the presence of invasive zebra mussels in East Twin Lake in Lyon County. The lake is one of half a dozen water bodies found in and near Twin Lakes Park just outside Florence, about a 30-minute drive from the community of Pipestone.
Zebra mussels are an invasive species turning up across the United States Midwest and West. The rapidly reproducing mollusks cement their hard shells to the surfaces of water intake infrastructure, clogging pipes and equipment.
Managing the infestation is proving to be an expensive headache that park officials everywhere are trying to control by halting the zebra mussels’ spread. Recent news suggests that officials are largely losing this battle.
“A DNR conservation officer was contacted by an angler who found four adult zebra mussels on a stick in East Twin Lake,” the department’s press team explained in a release. “DNR invasive species specialists found more than a dozen adult zebra mussels each at two locations during a follow-up search.”
Minnesota DNR said so far East Twin Lake is the only lake in Lyon County known to contain zebra mussels. It’s the third lake in southwestern Minnesota where zebra mussels have been discovered.
Officials there are repeating the same plea heard everywhere the zebra mussel infestation has been found.
Boaters in Minnesota must completely drain, clean, and dry their boats completely before putting their boats in different bodies of water. Doing this should slow or halt the zebra mussels’ spread.
“Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people” take these measures, Minnesota DNR reminded everyone.
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Twin Lakes Park
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Minnesota, USA
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