The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed zebra mussel larvae in water samples taken from one of three sites in Lake of the Woods on the northern Minnesota border. While no adult or juvenile zebra mussels have been reported, the number of larvae is substantial.
The Minnesota portion of Lake of the Woods will be added to the infested waters list for zebra mussels, so that people who harvest bait, fish commercially or use water from the lake take necessary precautions. Other lake users should follow the same “Clean, Drain, Dispose” steps that are always legally required on all Minnesota water bodies, regardless of whether they are on the infested waters list.
Recent DNR analysis of large lake zooplankton monitoring samples showed from four to 186 zebra mussel larvae, called veligers (VEL-uh-jers). “We don’t know if the lake’s water chemistry is conducive to zebra mussel survival,” said DNR research scientist Gary Montz. “It is possible that calcium levels or other factors might prevent propagation.”
The DNR and other agencies will continue to monitor the lake, in part to learn more about how the lake’s water chemistry affects zebra mussels. The invasive species spiny water flea was confirmed in Lake of the Woods and connected waters in 2007. Invasive species are sometimes introduced in a lake from connected waters or tributaries rather than human transport directly into the lake.
The 70-mile long and wide Lake of the Woods is the sixth largest freshwater lake located in or partially in the United States, after the five Great Lakes. Most of Lake of the Woods is in the Canadian Province of Ontario, and a portion extends into the Province of Manitoba.
Lake property owners should carefully check boats and trailers, docks and lifts, and all other water-related equipment for invasive species when
