CANHASSEN: Divers found 10 zebra mussels in Christmas Lake during a follow-up search earlier this week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.
The mussels were found outside of the area where the DNR had treated the lake last year as part of a series of small, targeted treatments in Minnesota lakes. A search of the previously treated area in April indicated the treatment was successful.
“The follow-up searches suggest that the treatment in the Christmas Lake public access area was effective in eliminating mussels from the area,” said Keegan Lund, DNR aquatic invasive species specialist. “These zebra mussels have probably been attached to native mussels in the lake since last summer or fall.”
Zebra mussels are an invasive species that compete for food with native mussels and other aquatic life. They are transferred from infected lakes by attaching to boats and other watercraft, and are a danger to swimmers because of their sharp shells.
The DNR has identified more than 200 bodies of water infested with zebra mussels.
