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ZEBRA MUSSELS FOUND IN CHENEY
RESERVOIR
Wildlife and Parks working
with stakeholders to contain infestation;
lake-user help essential
September 7, 2007 - The Kansas Department
of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) has confirmed that zebra mussels
have been found in Cheney Reservoir. During routine lake inspections,
KDWP district fisheries biologist Jon Stein collected three zebra
mussel adults. After the initial discovery, KDWP surveyed the
lake shoreline in search of more mussels. Zebra mussels were
found at many locations around the lake at very low densities.
"It's unfortunate that these mussels have
spread to another lake," says Jason Goeckler aquatic nuisance
species specialist for KDWP. "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."
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, Winfield City Lake in 2006,
and now Cheney Reservoir. Once zebra mussels were introduced
in Kansas, a network of concerned parties was established. KDWP
will work with the City of Wichita, Bureau of Reclamation, and
others to ensure an effective management plan is followed.
"KDWP is currently working with the city of
Wichita 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.
That said, lake users need to be aware of the situation
and take precautions when using Cheney Reservoir. It is against
state and federal law to possess live zebra mussels, so all lake
users need to ensure that they are not moving the mussels out
of Cheney Reservoir."
Zebra mussel larvae are free-floating and microscopic,
which enables aquatic users to unknowingly transport them between
water bodies. All Cheney Reservoir 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 or water 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 hot (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 more information about zebra mussels, click
here
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