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February 13, 2003
Zebra Mussels Invade 11 More Michigan Lakes
East Lansing, Mich. – In 2002, the list of Michigan inland lakes confirmed as infested with zebra mussels increased by 11, bringing the total to 177.
The mussels were found in Osceola County (Big Lake) for the first time, bringing to 45 the number of counties where the mollusks have established adult colonies. Other counties with newly reported infested lakes were Allegan (Hutchins), Alpena (Beaver), Cass (Big Fish), Clare (Crooked), Gladwin (Pratt), Iosco (Van Ettan), Jackson (Big Wolf), Oakland (Lower Pettibone) and Washtenaw (Ford and Half Moon).
All of the 2002 reports came from lakefront property owners and resource managers who found adult colonies of the mussels clinging to surfaces such as boats, docks, rocks, dams and water pumps. Zebra mussels were not found in several of the lakes monitored in 2002. According to Sea Grant’s volunteer monitor reports, Osterhout Lake (Allegan County), Bass Lake (Antrim County), Jordan Lake (Barry County), Spider Lake (Grand Traverse County) and Gunn Lake (Mason County) remain uninfested.
"Inland lakes that have a high level of transient recreational boating and are in close proximity to infested waters are particularly vulnerable," says Mike Klepinger, Michigan Sea Grant Extension specialist.
Klepinger also says that citizen monitoring, especially for adult zebra mussels, has helped increase scientists' knowledge and understanding of how and why invading organisms spread once they arrive in the Great Lakes basin. This knowledge will help stop or slow the next invasion when it happens.
MSU inland lake specialist Howard Wandell says that zebra mussel infestations have become a serious problem for inland lake riparians. These filter-feeding mollusks can affect all the plants and animals in the lake, even driving native clams and crayfish to extinction. They also foul beaches, clog water intake pipes, and collect on docks, shore stations and other stationary objects. Once they are in the lake, it is almost impossible to eradicate them from the ecosystem.
"The best line of defense against zebra mussels is prevention," Wandell says. "Posting signs warning against unintentional introductions from bait buckets, boat live wells and transient boats at all access sites and educating the local lake community about the need to keep zebra mussels out of the lake can significantly reduce the risk of infestation."
For more information about citizen lake monitoring and zebra mussels, including Sea Grant's data base of all monitored and confirmed infested lakes in Michigan, visit the website.
Michigan Sea Grant is dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of Great Lakes and coastal resources through research and education. It is a cooperative program of Michigan State University and the University of Michigan and is part of the National Sea Grant College Program, supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). |
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Contact
Mike Klepinger
(517) 353-5508
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