Zebra Mussels - Rochester, NY area
RochesterEnvironment.com
Consider how profoundly the invasive species Zebra Mussels have affected our area.
Page Contents: Zebra Mussels NewsLinks | Discussions | Resources |
Zebra mussels, Dreissena polymorpha, are small, fingernail-sized,
freshwater mollusks
accidentally introduced to North America via
ballast water from a transoceanic vessel.
Since their introduction in the mid 1980s, they have spread rapidly to all of the Great Lakes and an increasing number of inland waterways in the United States and Canada.
This invasive species represents what happens when an invasive species takes hold in a area, as I have watched the progress of this species since the mid 1980's.
Now many of our lakes have been redefined by the Zebra Mussel, their ecology forever changed.
SEARCH: Use search engine below to find anything posted since 1998.
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Zebra Mussels Discussions
Rochester area has been trying to deal with the spread of Zebra Mussels for a long time and the battle is symptomatic of how difficult these large invasive species outbreaks are to curb, even when you know they are coming.
- Solving Invasive Problems This story about VHS describes perfectly how difficult it is going to be to curb the problem of invasive species and disease in the Great Lakes because ultimately without public support all the regulations and laws in the world won’t stop this kind of disease spread. Like the spread of Zebra Mussels and even HIV, it only takes a single carrier to infect another lake or person. Prevention, making sure that diseases like VHS don’t get into our waters seems to be the best solution and many communities are working on that—though again single communities, or in the case of the Great Lakes even a single state or country will not stop another state of country with lax laws from invasive species spreading. more...
Zebra Mussels NewsLinks
Over the years attempts at combating the Zebra Mussel problem has been reflected in the news.
2012
- Zebra mussels are transforming the Great Lakes and fueling rampant algae growth EMPIRE -- Ron Long recently visited one of his favorite beaches at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, only to find it marred by dark green algae that clouded the water and piled up on the sand. "This is the worst I’ve ever seen this beach -- and I’ve been coming here for 50 years. It’s really sad," said Long, a Milford resident who was visiting the popular Esch Road beach near Empire. (August 28, 2012) MLive [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
2011
- Report says mussels, nutrients damage Great Lakes - WSJ.com TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A one-two punch of excessive nutrients and ravenous mussels is causing a sharp drop-off in Great Lakes fish populations and the worst outbreak of algae blooms in decades, says a report released Tuesday. Runoff from farms, city parking lots and other sources is causing a flood of nutrients such as phosphorus in near-shore areas and bays, the National Wildlife Federation said in a report based on government and university studies. Meanwhile, deeper waters are experiencing the opposite problem: Invasive quagga and zebra mussels are gobbling too much food, causing fish higher up the chain to go hungry. (October 6, 2011) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - Wsj.com [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
- Gut wrencher: Researchers seek magic bullet to control mussels Scientists have identified a new weapon to ward off two troublesome Great Lakes invaders: A bacterium strain that destroys their guts. It may prove to be an environmentally friendly and effective method of controlling quagga and zebra mussels. Introduced to the lakes in the 1980s, the mussels eat up things like phytoplankton – food that native fish and other life depend upon. (January 15, 2011) Great Lakes Echo - Environmental news across the basin [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
2010
- Divers to clear zebra mussel remains from water intake - The Buffalo News Divers soon will plunge into Lake Erie and begin grinding up a giant mound of dead zebra mussels that has been accumulating at the entrance of an intake pipe that supplies water throughout the city. The Water Board has signed a $396,000 contract with Buffalo Industrial Diving Co. to remove an underwater graveyard of mussel shells that has been expanding since the early 1990s. The pile of dead shells, 12 feet long by about 10 feet wide, is 8 feet high in one spot. (August 23, 2010) The Buffalo News [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
- Zebra Mussels Invade Northeast Wisconsin - WBAY-TV Green Bay-Fox Cities-Northeast Wisconsin News The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced ten more Wisconsin lakes, including six in Shawano, Menominee, and Marinette counties, are infested with zebra mussels. That means 130 lakes and rivers around the state are now home to the aquatic invasive species. (June 3, 2010) WBAY-TV Green Bay-Fox Cities-Northeast Wisconsin News - WBAY Home [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
2009
- Coast Guard targets zebra mussels in Great Lakes :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Nation WASHINGTON -- Twenty years after the pervasive zebra mussel was first detected in the Great Lakes, the U.S. Coast Guard is preparing rules to prevent new invasive species from infiltrating the nation's freshwater systems. (December 21, 09) Chicago Sun-Times [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
- Zebra Mussels (and Lots of Other Species) Invading Great Lakes and No One Can Decide What to Do About It : TreeHugger Out of the 185 invasive species in and around the Great Lakes, zebra mussels are posing a painful problem. The mussels have sharp shells and a tendency to slice up the feet of beach-goers. The mussels have hitched rides in the ballasts of ships coming into port, and while politicians have tried to get the shipping industry to help curb the problem through regulations, there haven't been any successes. Well, unless you're looking at it from the perspective of zebra mussels. But with 15,000 lakes to worry about, standing around bickering about what to do isn't helping the situation. (November 09,09) http://www.treehugger.com/ [more on Zebra Mussels in our area]
- Zebra mussels may have met their match. They're the tiny species of mollusks that became the poster child for invasive species when it began infesting lakes like Cayuga and rivers in the Northeast two decades ago. (August 6, 09) theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY
- Zebra mussels clog city's water intake pipe : Home: The Buffalo News Imagine a giant mound of dead zebra mussels piled eight feet high. Now picture this mountain of shells stationed at the opening of a Lake Erie intake pipe that supplies water to homes and businesses throughout the city. (July 21, 09) Buffalo News -- Home
- Zebra mussel shells clog Buffalo city water intake - syracuse.com BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Officials in Buffalo are trying to figure out how to remove a large pile of zebra mussel shells that's clogging the intake pipe for the city's water supply from Lake Erie. (July 21, 09) Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com
- Whatever happened to . . . zebra mussels in Lake Erie; DNA testing on postcards in torso murders case; potential buried World War I mustard agent? - Cleveland.com PRESSThe destructive zebra mussels that had invaded Lake Erie and caused great concern for lake creatures are gone for now. The mollusks' larger cousin, the Quagga, pushed the zebra out. (April 20, 09) The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com
- Zebra mussels may cause problems in spring - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch Residents warned to protect water systems | With spring quickly approaching, residents launching their boats or opening up their camps should be on the look out for pesky mollusks inhabiting some Otsego County lakes. (March 6, 09) Home - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch
2008
- Hitchhiking zebra mussels = bad news for lakes -- themorningcall.com Inside a pipe connecting a hydroelectric plant to a lake on the Pennsylvania- Maryland border, environmental workers earlier this year found a half-inch-long world of trouble. (Dec 22, 08) http://www.mcall.com/
- Zebra and quagga mussel plague spreads nationwide - Kalamazoo Gazette - MLive.com Lake Erie's zebra and quagga mussel plague has gone nationwide. An outbreak of the invasive aquatic mollusks is worsening in the upper Great Lakes where the population has tripled in the last three years as the species adapts to colder, deeper waters. (July 15, 08) Michigan News, Sports, Business, Entertainment - MLive.com - Everything Michigan
- Toxin muscles in on zebra mussels -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY Researcher finds bacterium that kills invasive pest infesting New York, other states CAMBRIDGE -- A small laboratory in the rolling farmland of northern Washington County may have dealt a real setback to the zebra mussel, a tiny striped mollusk that infests waters of New York and about two dozen other states. Thursday, March 13, 2008 Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy
- NPR: An Upside to the Invasive Zebra Mussel? (March 13, 98) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts
- Zebra Mussel's impact anything but clear - After becoming so badly polluted it was labelled a “dead lake” in the 1960s, few would have imagined the waters of Lake Erie would one day be compared to the vibrant hues of the Caribbean. But in an ironic twist of fate, a destructive invasive species that entered the Great Lakes about 20 years ago has created increasingly clear waters, leaving many to reasonably assume the lakes keep getting cleaner and healthier. But it's just an illusion created by the zebra mussel — a tiny interloper that's killing off life under the surface even as it continues to make all the Great Lakes look more and more picturesque. (July 19, 07) http://www.theglobeandmail.com/
- Students Study Zebra Mussels - Researchers at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva discovered there are plenty of mussels in Seneca Lake. Not the kind you might have for dinner but the kind that clings. A professor and a pair of students spent eight weeks studying Zebra and Quagga mussels in the lake. (June 18, 2003) R News: Your NewsChannel
2001
- Suspect No.1: Zebra mussels Residents have reported a large number of mussel shells washing up on the shore of Canandaigua Lake. Nearly all signs point to the dying off of zebra mussels as the cause of a persistent white foam on Canandaigua Lake. (Friday, November 16, 2001) Daily Messenger
- Lake foam may come from dead zebra mussels Officials still have to conduct more tests on the foam floating on Canandaigua Lake. Recent tests in Canandaigua Lake suggests heavy foam buildup may be due to decaying zebra mussels. (Wednesday, September 26, 2001) Daily Messenger
- Lake clarity improves with help The view into Canandaigua Lake is much clearer due to the eating habits of zebra mussels. People swimming in Canandaigua Lake may notice how easy it is to see their toes in water that's up to their chins. (Tuesday, August 28, 2001)Daily Messenger
- New zebra mussel risk cited Lake George-- Study finds conditions ripe for infestation to spread Just when it appeared that scientists were winning the fight against zebra mussels in Lake George, a new study says that the prolific mollusk could invade as many as 19 more locations around the lake. (March 29, 2001) Times Union
- Mussels clear divers' vision OSWEGO, N.Y. -- The scourge of lakefront residents, the zebra mussel is proving to be one of divers' best friends. (March 4, 2001) - -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
2000
- Cleaner Lake Lures Mussels Millions of zebra mussels moved into Onondaga Lake because ammonia levels fell. Scientists have detected the first signs that polluted Onondaga Lake is slowly but surely becoming cleaner. (September 19, 2000) Syracuse Online
- Downside of Onondaga Lake cleanup: zebra mussels SYRACUSE -- Scientists have detected the first signs that Onondaga Lake, one of the most polluted bodies of water in the country, is slowly but surely becoming cleaner. (September 18, 2000) Times Union
- Officials: Zebra mussel eradication efforts successful LAKE GEORGE -- The summer season has been a good one in the fight to keep the problematic zebra mussel from further infiltrating Lake George, lake officials report. (September 9, 2000) The Post Star
- Lake George zebra mussels out-muscled Lake George -- Aggressive eradication effort credited with ridding lake of boat- and shore-damaging pests (August 30, 2000) Times Union.
- Zebra Mussels Both Destructive And Beneficial To Great Lakes Some big pieces of our local history are being destroyed by a silent but persistent predator. (August 26, 2000) RochesterToday
- A plague on Finger Lakes Zebra mussel numbers drop, still a major nuisance (August 7, 2000) Star-Gazette
- State sees fewer zebra mussels DEC says scarcity of food has populations dropping in state waters WATERTOWN -- They still number in the billions, but zebra mussel populations around New York are declining, state environmental officials say. (August 2, 2000) Times Union
- Alien invaders find cozy niche ----DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital Edition
- E-Link: Zebra Mussels Spreading Rapidly--from EnviroLink News Service
- City on guard as 'zebras' appear Clinging mussel threatens Hemlock Lake, a source of Rochester's water --DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital Edition
- Tiny Mussel Big Threat To Water Supply--From: News and Views | City Beat |Monday, March 15, 1999
Zebra Mussels Resources
Key Online Resources for Zebra Mussels
- Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) - Encyclopedia of Life "Zebra mussels were originally found in the drainage basins of the Black and Caspian Seas, including the Danube, Dniester, Volga, and Ural Rivers. Shipping and canal construction in the 19th century allowed them to spread west into most European rivers and lakes. In the late 20th century they were accidentally brought to North America, probably in ballast water of large ships. They now occur in the Great Lakes basin, most of the Mississippi River drainage, the Hudson River and many other eastern North American rivers. (Nalepa and Schloesser, 1993; Neumann and Jenner, 1992; U.S. Geological Survey, 2008) " Encyclopedia of Life
- Zebra Mussels Use the information below to explore web sites and find answers to important questions about Zebra Mussels and the interests and concerns they have created in the Great Lakes and other waterways of the United States.
- Zebra Mussel Research Program - from Environmental Laboratory
- Zebra Mussels A small freshwater mollusk called the zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), has been steadily invading America's rivers and lakes. Zebra mussels originated in the Balkans, Poland, and the former Soviet Union. They first appeared in North America in 1988 in Lake St. Clair, a small water body connecting Lake Huron and Lake Erie. Biologists believe the zebra mussels were picked up in a freshwater European port in the ballast water of a ship and were later discharged into the Canadian side of Lake St. Clair. --from National Atlas home page
- Zebra mussel FAQs Frequently Asked Questions about the Zebra Mussel --from U.S. Geological Survey - Newsroom
- Invasive Species: Aquatic Species - Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) --from United States Department of Agriculture - Home
- Home - Zebra Mussel Watch - University of Wisconsin Sea Grant
