Zebra mussels confirmed in 2 more Minnesota counties

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in three different Minnesota lakes.

Areas include Union Lake, near Erskine in Polk County; First Silver Lake, near the town of Battle Lake in Otter Tail County; and Heilberger Lake, near Erhard in Otter Tail County.

According to the DNR, a lake property owner contacted them after they found a zebra mussel attached to a mussel in Union Lake. DNR staff later found more than 15 zebra mussels near the public water access, which is more than a mile from the location of the initial discovery.

Other zebra muscles were found by a First Silver Lake user and a lake property owner at Heilberger Lake.

While zebra mussels and other invasive species can be introduced to a lake by private docks and accesses, public accesses are typically the first to be surveyed for invasive species.

DNR officials add while a pump at Union Lake has a filter to prevent the spread of Eurasian watermilfoil -another invasive species – it isn’t currently operating. The agency says it will direct the Sand Hill River Watershed District to make sure any pumping operations are modified to make sure zebra mussels don’t spread downstream.

Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, the DNR says Minnesota law requires people to:

• Clean watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
• Drain all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
• Never release bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
• Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days before moving them from one water body to another.

Additional details on preventing the spread of invasive species this summer can be found here.

The DNR asks anyone who finds an invasive species like zebra mussels that you contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist.