Photo by Brandy Nance
A palm-sized rock in the office of Jason Goeckler, of the Emporia office of Kansas Wildlife and Parks, shows hundreds of zebra mussels layered on top of one another. Zebra mussels pose a threat to area lakes and rivers because of their ability to spread rapidly, clogging pipes, dams and clinging to any hard surface.
They may look like harmless small clams, but zebra mussels are devastating Kansas lakes and soon will be seen around the Emporia area.
Zebra mussels are native to the Black and Caspian seas in Europe. They are considered a nuisance species in the United States. Zebra mussels were introduced in the United States in 1988 from the ballast water in ships at the Great Lakes, said Jason Goeckler of the Emporia office of Kansas Wildlife and Parks. In only 20 years, the mussels have spread coast to coast. The main culprit in their spread is humans.
Zebra mussels grow up to an inch long. They have a brownish, D-shaped shell and have alternating dark and light colored stripes. At their peak, zebra mussels reproduce to thousands per square foot and attach one on top of another up to six inches deep.
According to the United States Geological Service, zebra mussels were identified in El Dorado Lake in 2003; Cheney Reservoir in 2004; Winfield City Lake in 2006; Winfield Country Club Pond in 2006; Perry Lake in 2007; Cheney Reservoir on the North Ford of the Ninnescah in 2007; Marion Reservoir (North Cottonwood River) in 2008; and Lake Afton and Cheney Reservoir in 2008.
A warning sign about asian carp.
Emporia’s threat comes from the Marion Reservoir, which is north of the Cottonwood River, Goeckler said. According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Web site, zebra mussels threaten native species. Because they are filter feeders, they filter up to a liter of water a day feeding on plankton. The action of the zebra mussels may clear up the water, but this does more harm than good. It opens the water to toxic algae blooms, which cause a problem in reservoirs that provide drinking water for residents. The clear water also lets UV rays in, which damage fish eggs and larvae. The mussels also reproduce rapidly and will attach to any hard surface, including rocks, boats, alumninum cans, pipes and dams. As a result, pipes get clogged and water can’t flow through.
Goeckler said the spread of zebra mussels is costly — an estimated $145 million a year is spent nationwide to control the spread of the mussels in power generating plants. This cost often is passed on to customers.
“In this economic time I don’t think anybody wants to pay more for anything,” Goeckler said. “Every person that uses water can be impacted by these things. It’s not just fisherman. Every Kansan can be impacted by them.”
The mussel’s sharp shell poses a hazard for recreational uses of lakes, Goeckler said. The shells can cut both humans’ and animals’ feet.
“They have razor-sharp shells,” he said. “You no longer can feel the sand between your toes. You have to wear shoes.”
Humans are the main source of the spreading of the zebra mussels. Recreational uses of lakes and reservoirs spread the mussels through boats, equipment and even bait buckets. Because the larvae of zebra mussels are microscopic, the mussels can be spread through water without the user knowing it. There can be 150 larvae in one bottle of water the size of a drinking-water bottle, Goeckler said.
“If you don’t drain bait buckets or boats, you can be moving zebra mussels without knowing it,” Goeckler said.
The spread of zebra mussels can be prevented by three simple steps, Goeckler said. The steps are clean, drain and dry.
“All infestations could be prevented if they (boaters and anglers) did clean, drain, dry,” Goeckler said.
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks encourages people to clean their equipment by rinsing equipment with high-pressure and/or hot water, especially if equipment or boats have been in the water for more than a day. The second step is to let boats and equipment dry for five days before moving to another body of water. Also, water from boats, motors, live wells, bilges and bait containers should be thoroughly drained and the equipment dried.
Anyone who finds zebra mussels is asked to report it to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Sightings can be reported at www.kdwp.state.ks.us by clicking on the invasive species link under the fishing link or by calling the national hotline, (877) 786-7267. Locally, residents can call the Emporia Kansas Wildlife and Parks Office at 342-0658.
For more information on zebra mussels, go to www.kdwp.state.ks.us. There will be a meeting at 10 a.m. Wednesday at William Lindsay White Auditorium, Conference Room 2, 104 E. Fifth Ave. Goeckler will speak at the meeting, which is hosted by the Kansas Water Office.
F In Wednesday’s Gazette: Asian carp that escaped from U.S. fish farms are spreading in the Missouri River basin and headed toward eastern Kansas.
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