Lake Murray has zebra mussels
A zebra mussel
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has issued the following news release about the zebra mussel invasion of Lake Murray.
Biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation say Lake Murray is now home to significant populations of zebra mussels, a non-native aquatic nuisance species that threatens the state’s waters.
“Zebra mussels are a serious threat because they’re not native, but yet they compete with native species for resources,” said Curtis Tackett, aquatic nuisance species biologist for the Wildlife Department.
“Along with harming populations of native aquatic wildlife, they can also damage water intake structures and clog up waterways.”
Zebra mussels potentially pose a multi-billion-dollar threat to industrial and public water supplies.
Through both downstream movement and transport by hitchhiking a ride on boats, zebra mussels have infested several lakes in Oklahoma, but only recently have they been discovered in south-central Oklahoma’s Lake Murray.
Water samples collected at Lake Murray last spring turned up no evidence of zebra mussels in the Carter Co. lake, which demonstrates how quickly they spread, Tackett said.
“One female zebra mussel can produce up to one million offspring per year, and they can begin to reproduce within a few weeks of settling,” he said.
The adult mussels face little competition and few predators, and even those that are consumed by large fish can sometimes survive the digestion process and remain a threat even after being preyed upon and digested.
Zebra mussels can also be transported in their larval form through the movement of water from one lake to another, or on boats that leave one infested lake and enter another before being washed.
Currently zebra mussels can be found in more than 20 lakes across the state.
Boaters can play an important role in halting the spread of zebra mussels and other aquatic nuisance species by inspecting boats, trailers and equipment for the mussels or for mud, plant fragments, seeds and any other organisms from the water and removing them.
They should also drain water from boats, motors, bilges, live wells, bait containers, coolers and ballasts.
Finally, they can help by pressure washing boats, trailers and equipment with hot water (140 degrees).
Tackett said if a boater is unable to pressure wash their equipment, they should allow it to dry thoroughly for at least five days before visiting a new body of water.
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Scare tactics about a mussel. Get real ODW. Lot more things in the world more dangerous than a mussel. Start with 1616 Pennsylvania Avenue.