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Understanding Zebra Mussels
Missouri TBF Informs Boaters of Invader at Lake of the Ozarks
Osage Beach, Mo. On September 22, 2007, a group of Missouri TBF Bass Federation members spent a day at Lake of the Ozarks. Instead of being armed with fishing gear, they went bearing information.
Recently, Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have found their way to Missouri and likely permanently into our ecosystem. Zebra mussels are small but their impact is mighty. Originally transported to the Great Lakes by ships transporting goods from Eurasia, they were found in Lake St. Clair near Detroit, Michigan in 1988. They hitched a ride in ballast water and were expelled along with other exotic species into a new habitat. Today they are found throughout the Mississippi drainage and most river systems attached to it.
Zebra mussels are small, about the size of your thumbnail. The shells are D-shaped and have alternating light and dark bands. The larvae or "veligers" are free floating and use this as a method of dispersal in a water body. As they develop, they sink and firmly attach to objects with byssal threads.
Zebra mussels have proven to be a nuisance because of their colony forming behavior. They can clog municipal water intake pipes, filtration equipment and electric generating plants. Growth of colonies up to six inches thick has been observed and they can attach to just about any object. The economic impact of removing and controlling the exotic has been estimated at $3.1 billion over ten years.
Aside from the being a municipal pest, Zebra mussels impact the ecosystem. They are very effective filter feeders, clearing up to a liter of water a day. Changes in water clarity have large scale impacts on habitat. Additionally, young-of-the-year fish may compete with Zebra mussels for an important food resource, zooplankton. They can also overwhelm native mussel species by overcrowding.
The exotic was first reported in Missouri in 1991 in the Mississippi River. In 1999 Zebra mussels were reported in the Missouri River near Sioux City, Iowa and in the lower Meramec River near St. Louis. In 2000, a boat transported from Illinois to Lake of the Ozark was found to be infested by marina owners prior to being launched. A population of Zebra mussels was recognized in Lake of the Ozarks in 2006. Very recently, they have been identified in Bulls Shoals and Lake Taneycomo. It is expected the spread of Zebra mussels is inevitable in Missouri reservoirs due to boat hitch-hiking.
Missouri TBF Conservation Director, Matt Eisenbacher and a handful of TBF Youth members spent the day talking to boaters utilizing Lake of the Ozarks and handing out Zebra mussel literature printed by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Numerous out-of-state boaters were encountered and informed about the organism. Although boaters have moved the exotic across the United States, through a little knowledge and simple precautions, we can slow the reach to new lakes or prevent it completely.
Anglers and boaters can take the following actions to prevent the further spread of Zebra mussels:
1. Inspect boats and trailers thoroughly, and remove any trash, mussels or aquatic weeds before leaving any water body. Use a flashlight to check recessed areas such as in interior of the propeller and water pump intakes as well as exterior surfaces. Mussels and other items removed from the boat should be properly disposed of in a trash container.
2. Drain water from the motor, live-well, bilge and transom wells, and any other water from the boat and equipment before leaving any water body.
3. Dump leftover bait on land, away from the water.
4. Rinse boats, trailers and equipment (including live-wells, bilge, and cooling systems) thoroughly with hard spray or HOT (104 degrees) water, like that found at a do-it-yourself carwash.
5. Disinfect live wells, bilges, anchors, bait buckets, boat trailers and nets with a solution of two tablespoons household bleach per gallon of water at least 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't drain this solution into lakes or streams. It can harm aquatic life.
6. Dry boats, motors, trailers and equipment thoroughly in the hot sun before using them again.
More information can be found at the Missouri Department of Conservation website: http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/exotic/zebra/ and the USGS website: http://nas.er.usgs.gov/taxgroup/mollusks/zebramussel/
To become involved with the Missouri TBF Bass Federation, check out the website at www.missouritbf.com or contact President Don Heiser at donheiser@netzero.com