(Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted by the Big Eagle Lake Improvement Associaion).
Last Saturday, Aug. 21, a volunteer conducting aquatic invasive species surveys found an empty, half shell from a zebra mussel at the Eagle Lake public access. The shell was pulled up with some aquatic plants on a rake and was turned into Sherburne SWCD staff, who verified the finding and turned the specimen over to Minnesota DNR. This finding is concerning and the SWCD and DNR are working with the BELIA to understand this situation further.
A single, half shell of a zebra mussel does not necessarily indicate that Eagle Lake has zebra mussels in it. In order to determine if a living population of zebra mussels are present, the DNR and SWCD are asking Big Eagle Lake residents to look for mussels in the lake. Zebra mussels attach to hard surfaces so items such as submerged logs, rocks, docks, boat lifts, swim platforms, etc. are good places to look. Sometimes zebra mussels will even attach themselves to the stems of aquatic plants.
More information on zebra mussels can be found at the Minnesota DNR and University of Minnesota Extension websites: (Minnesota DNR website): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/natural_resources/invasives/aquaticanimals/zebramussel/fact_sheet-zebra_mussels.pdf. (University of Minnesota Extension website): https://extension.umn.edu/identify-invasive-species/zebra-mussel.
If one suspects that you have found a zebra mussels or other aquatic invasive species, please follow these steps:
1). Note the exact location where the specimen was found;
2. Take a picture and collect the specimen in question;
3. Report it to our regional DNR Invasive Species Specialist (Christine Jurek: 320-223-7847) and / or Sherburne SWCD (Dan Cibulka: 763-220-3434 ext 103);
4. Report it to the BELIA so they can track the findings from residents.
The Sherburne SWCD will be monitoring the public access and other areas of the lake for zebra mussels in the coming weeks as well. Watercraft inspectors have been notified of this situation as well.
