(Okoboji)– Concern is mounting over the possibility of zebra mussels getting into the Iowa Great Lakes.
So far, the Iowa Great Lakes have managed to stay clear of the invasive pests which have sharp edges and have been known to clog water intakes. But officials say it’s probably just a matter of time before we see them in the Iowa Great Lakes.
Zebra mussels are as close to us as Clear Lake, where they were discovered about a year ago. Officials there say the population of the mussels has exploded since then, based on the amount of mussels they’re finding attached to boat hoists and docks as they’re being removed for the season.
Phil Petersen of the Iowa Great Lakes Water Safety Council is urging lakes area residents and companies that are removing docks and hoists to be on the lookout for zebra mussels and to report anything that looks out of the ordinary to the DNR fish hatchery in Orleans.
Zebra mussels are about the size of a fingernail. They’re brown with stripes going through them.
