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Above: Zebra mussel.
FAIRMONT– Many Fairmont waterfront owners remove their boats, lifts and docks from lakes before winter. The Martin Soil and Water Conservation District says people should look for aquatic invasive species that might be attached to aquatic equipment.
Dustin Benes, district technician for Martin’s Soil and Water Conservation District, said people should be especially on the lookout for zebra mussels or different types of weeds.
“There is native vegetation and there is invasive vegetation so it is good to watch this when the platforms and elevators are removed” said Bénès.
He said zebra mussels attach themselves to hard surfaces, so when docks, elevators and boats are in the water during the summer months, it gives them time to hang on.
He said zebra mussels are very small, the size of a fingernail. They have a white and black zigzag shell and are very sharp to the touch.
Benes said zebra mussels have not been detected in Fairmont lakes so far, but they want to be notified of any potential findings so they can act quickly.
“One of my concerns is the drinking water system. Fairmont draws surface water from Budd Lake. If we get zebra mussels they can clog the pipe and that will add more expense to this system which nobody wants ”, said Bénès.
Once zebra mussels enter a lake, it is also difficult to get rid of them.
“There were no cases where they were completely deleted”, said Benes.
He said zebra mussels spread quickly and can produce over a million eggs a year.
Benes also wants people to make sure they take their boat to another lake outside of Fairmont and bring it back.
He said the closest zebra mussel infestation is in the Minnesota River between Mankato and New Ulm. They have also been found in Okoboji and Spirit Lake, which Benes says is concerning.
“There are a lot of people going to Spirit Lake and going back to Martin County,” Benes pointed out.
“This is part of the reason why drain plugs need to be removed when transporting your boat.”
The muscles of baby zebras are called villagers and Benes is sad that they swim freely in water when they first hatch and as they get older they get attached to hard surfaces. He said they may be in the water while someone is carrying a boat and they wouldn’t know.
Another Minnesota law that he thinks many ignore is that if someone buys a used elevator or dock, they are supposed to leave it for 21 days to let it dry so that there is no water transfer from one lake to another.
Benes encourages anyone who thinks they have found zebra mussels or any other vegetation they are unsure of to contact Martin Soil and Water Conservation District.
“If we don’t know, we can contact the DNR. They have an aquatic invasive species specialist. We have a person for our region to contact ”, said Benes.
He said he also had training on zebra mussel identification, so he’s happy to check out any potential finds.
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