Zebra Mussels Confirmed in Forest Lake in Washington County

With beautiful weather upon on, the lakes will be filled with boats.  Unfortunately, they will could also be the home of zebra mussels.  One of the more popular boating and recreation areas in Minnesota has just confirmed the presence of this unwanted guest.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Forest Lake, which will be designated as a zebra mussel infested water to limit further spread of the invasive species.

A member of the public found a suspected zebra mussel on a rock on the east shore of Forest Lake last week and brought it to the Comfort Lake Forest Lake Watershed District office. DNR biologists inspected the lake and found 11 more zebra mussels along the eastern shore. Further searching by private consultants also found mussels along the south shore of the lake

Remember, to prevent the spread of zebra mussels, boaters are required to clean aquatic plants and debris from their boats, remove drain plugs and keep them out while traveling, and dispose of unused bait in the trash. The DNR also recommends letting boats and equipment dry for at least five days or washing them with high pressure or hot water before launching in other waters.