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ZEBRA MUSSELS FOUND IN WINFIELD
CITY LAKE
Wildlife and Parks working with city to
contain infestation; lake-user help essential
December 22, 2006 - WINFIELD -- The Kansas
Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has confirmed that zebra
mussels have been found in Winfield City Lake. The agency was
informed of the possibility of zebra mussels in the lake after
a local angler brought what he thought were zebra mussels to
lake manager John Crow's office the week of Dec. 18. Crow called
district fisheries biologist Craig Johnson who in turn notified
KDWP aquatic nuisance species specialist Jason Goeckler. KDWP
investigated and found zebra mussels throughout the lake.
"It's unfortunate that these mussels have
spread to another lake," says Goeckler. "Zebra mussels
reproduce rapidly. Once introduced, new populations can expand
quickly and cause great damage both economically and environmentally.
They can rapidly attach to and cover any hard structure in water,
including native mussels, pipes, water supply structures, rocks,
piers, flooded timber, boat hulls, and aquatic motor parts, often
clogging them to the point of malfunction. Once zebra mussels
become established, they are nearly impossible to eradicate."
Native to eastern Europe, the zebra mussel is a
fingernail-sized, D-shaped mollusk that typically has a dark
and white (zebra-like) pattern on the shell. Since introduction
into the United States in 1988, it has rapidly spread from the
Great Lakes Region to Midwestern streams, El Dorado Reservoir
(in 2003), and now to Winfield City Lake.
Once zebra mussels were introduced in Kansas, a
network of concerned parties was established. KDWP will work
with the city of Winfield and others to ensure an effective management
plan is followed.
"KDWP is currently working with the city of
Winfield to mitigate the zebra mussel infestation," says
Goeckler. "Because this infestation is relatively new, well-informed
management actions are necessary to ensure the zebra mussels
are not further spread and that the affect to water users can
be minimized.
"With winter upon us, zebra mussel reproduction
has temporarily ceased, and lake use is low," Goeckler continues.
"This is a good time to prepare for the upcoming year. That
said, lake users need to be aware of the situation and take precautions
when using Winfield City Lake."
Zebra mussel larvae are free-floating and microscopic,
which enables aquatic users to unknowingly transport them between
water bodies. All Winfield City Lake users must adhere to the
following precautions to help prevent the spread of zebra mussels:
- - learn to identify aquatic nuisance species, such as zebra
mussels;
- - never move fish from one body of water to another;
- - empty bait buckets on dry land, not into lakes;
- - inspect boats, trailers, skis, anchors, and all other equipment
and remove any visible organisms and vegetation; and
- - wash equipment with 140-degree water, a 10-percent chlorine
and water solution, or dry for at least five days to remove or
kill species that are not visible. Phone 620-342-0658 or email
jasong@wp.state.ks.us
if any nuisance species are found.
For general information about zebra mussels, visit
the KDWP website www.kdwp.state.ks.us.
Click on "Fisheries," then click "Aquatic Nuisance
Species."
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