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Zebra Mussels in the Great Lakes Region What's New | Overview | Distribution Maps | Studies/Management Plans | Federal Resources | State/Provincial Resources Current invaders:
Crustaceans: Rusty Crayfish | Spiny Water FleaFish: Goby (Round) | Ruffe | Sea Lamprey | White Perch Mollusks: Quagga Mussel | Zebra Mussel Plants: Curly-leaf Pondweed | Eurasian Watermilfoil | Phragmites (non-native) | Purple Loosestrife Viruses: Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSv) Potential invaders:
Fish: Asian Carp [Invasive species home page] 
What's New Stopping hitchhikers in ballast tanks The Environment Report (4/19) Great Lakes states are still deciding whether they want the EPA’s new ballast water rules, which aim to minimize the transport of aquatic invasive species into the region, to have more teeth. Salties bring no new invaders, thanks to ‘swish and spit’ Duluth News Tribune (4/11) Supporters say saltwater flush is working to thwart invasives until ballast treatment arrives in Great Lakes. New rules seek to prevent invasive stowaways The New York Times (4/7) Nearly a quarter-century has passed since the tenacious zebra mussel larvae were released in the Great Lakes, yet it was just last month that the Coast Guard issued a federal rule that sets an upper limit on the concentration of organisms in ballast water. Scientists play down price tag on invasive species in Great Lakes The Montreal Gazette (3/29) Canadian experts are questioning a new U.S. report that says foreign species carried into the Great Lakes by ships are causing tens of millions of dollars in damage to the ecosystem. Lake groups sue DNR over zebra mussel policy KARE11-TV - Minneapolis, MN (3/21) Members of three lake associations have filed suit against the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, accusing him of failing to implement programs that would prevent their lakes from being infested by the dreaded zebra mussel. Algae gunks up Lake Ontario beaches on the US side more than the Canadian side Great Lakes Echo (3/9) On the Canadian side of Lake Ontario, water from tributaries mixes with cleaner lake water more quickly than on the U.S. side, cutting down the amount of algae near the beach.
Overview One of the zebra mussel's most defining characteristics is its tendency to colonize hard substrates and surfaces (e.g., rocky bottoms and water intake structures) in high densities, with as many as tens of thousands living in a square yard. Zebra mussels have had deleterious effects on local ecosystems. They reduce the amount of phytoplankton available for other organisms and increase water clarity, causing changes to the ecological structure of the lake community. In addition, zebra mussels accumulate contaminants within their tissues to levels greater than concentrations in the water column, increasing the exposure of wildlife to contaminants. Zebra mussel infestations also threaten native mussel populations by attaching to the native species and essentially smothering them. Zebra mussels have caused a great deal of economic damage by clogging intake pipes of water treatment and power plants as well as boat engine cooling systems. Unfortunately, solutions to these problems are few and not highly effective, resulting in high costs for cleaning and control measures. Photo credit: U.S. Geological Survey  View full, print-ready factsheet
Distribution Maps
Studies, Assessments and Management Plans Developing Environmentally Sound Methods and Strategies to Control Zebra Mussels at Public Facilities (1994) U.S. Army Corp of Engineers This paper provides a description of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers efforts to develop methods and strategies to control zebra mussels at public facilities. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Expanded Zebra Mussel Action Plan (2007) National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona and Utah An Action Plan to prevent the spread of zebra mussels in Lake Powell and the upper Colorado River. The Zebra Mussel Prevention Program was further expanded in May 2008, at which time both Lake Powell and the upper Colorado River were believed to still be free of the mussels. http://www.oar.noaa.gov/spotlite/archive/spot_zebramussels.html Ohio Sea Grant Ohio Sea Grant research compared zebra mussels from sites in Eurasia and North America to establish genetic relationships among the different species. Quagga-Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters (2010) Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species This plan summarizes current dreissenid mussel management strategies of agencies across all levels of government, identifies priority actions, and makes recommendations on ways to coordinate activities.
U.S. and Canadian Federal Resources Dynamic Map of Zebra Mussel Distribution National Atlas of the United States Indicator: Invasion of Zebra Mussels and Quagga Mussels U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Detroit River-Western Lake Erie Indicator Project The Influence of Water Levels on Zebra Mussel Colonization of the St. Lawrence River Environment Canada - Saint Lawrence Centre The Unfolding Story of the Zebra Mussel in the St. Lawrence River Environment Canada-Saint Lawrence Centre Zebra and Quagga Mussel Information Resource Page U.S. Geological Survey - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Zebra Mussel Sea Grant Nonindigenous Species Site (SGNIS) Zebra Mussel National Sea Grant Network, Geographic Education Alliances Exotic Aquatics on the Move Zebra Mussel Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force, Species of Concern Zebra Mussel Stop Aquatic Hitchhickers! Zebra Mussel Fact Sheet U.S. Geological Survey-Great Lakes Science Center Zebra Mussel Research Program U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Zebra Mussel Sightings Distribution U.S. Geological Survey - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Zebra Mussel Species Profile U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Invasive Species Information Center State and Provincial Resources Alien Profile: Zebra Mussel Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Environmental Education for Kids Great Lakes Photography: Zebra Mussels Michigan Sea Grant How to Deal with Zebra Mussels Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Zebra Mussel Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Zebra Mussel Minnesota Sea Grant Zebra Mussel New York Sea Grant Zebra Mussel Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters - Invading Species Awareness Program Zebra Mussel Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Zebra Mussel & Quagga Mussel – Fact Sheet Pennsylvania Sea Grant Zebra Mussel Fact Sheet Indiana Department of Natural Resources Zebra Mussel Fact Sheet Michigan Sea Grant Zebra Mussel Fact Sheet Wisconsin Sea Grant Zebra Mussel Watch Wisconsin Sea Grant Zebra Mussels Threaten Inland Waters Minnesota Sea Grant Zebra Mussels: Questions and Answers for Inland Lake Managers Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Zebra/Quagga Mussel Aquatic Invasive Species of Pennsylvania
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