Zebra mussels found in Alexandria lake

Sea Stachura

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Zebra mussels
Zebra mussels are just one of many invasive species that have entered the Great Lakes through ballast water dumped by oceangoing ships. They have also been found in the Mississippi River and in inland lakes.
Photo by Simon van Mechelen, University of Amsterdam

Invasive zebra mussels have been found in Lake Le Homme Dieu in Alexandria. A resident found the invasive species attached to a coffee can in the water.

Zebra mussels can wreck ecological and economic havoc on a waterway. They breed quickly and hurt native mussel populations. They also deplete food sources for fish.

The Minnesota DNR will survey the lake this week for live mussels. If they find any, they will declare it infested.

If the lake is infested, the pest could spread quickly to several other lakes attached to Lake Le Homme Dieu.

The DNR recommends people remove all plants and aquatic life from their boats, then spray the boat off before transporting it to another waterway.

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