(KNSI) – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says zebra mussels have been found in Waverly Lak.
According to the DNR, The Waverly Lake Association contacted them after a property owner found a suspected zebra mussel on a dock being removed from the water for the season. The DNR confirmed it was a one-half-inch juvenile zebra mussel.
“Lake property owners and lake service provider businesses play an important role in detecting invasive species, by carefully examining boats, docks and lifts when they are being removed from the water at the end of the season,” DNR Invasive Species Unit Supervisor Heidi Wolf said.
As a result of the find, Little Waverly Lake, connected to Waverly Lake, will also have zebra mussels.
The DNR says Minnesota law requires all docks and lifts to be kept out of the water for at least 21 days after removal from any waterbody before they can be placed into another waterbody. Officials say anyone who transports a dock or lift from a shoreline property to an off-site location for storage or repair may need a permit to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
The DNR says the best way to spot zebra mussels is to look on the posts, wheels, and underwater support bars of docks and lifts, as well as any parts of boats, pontoons, and rafts that may have been submerged in water for an extended period.
According to a press release, anyone paid to remove boats, docks, lifts, and other water-related equipment must be DNR trained and permitted. A list of DNR-permitted lake service provider businesses is available on the DNR website.
Officials say to contact an area DNR aquatic invasive species specialist if an invasive species is discovered that has not already been confirmed in that waterbody.
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