June, 2022
Dear Grand Lake Property Owners,
Yes, zebra mussels are in Grand Lake. Very recently, a resident of Grand Lake informed one of the LID board members that they found what looked like three zebra mussels attached to a clamshell. Grand Lake’s AIS Detector, Jim Meinz, confirmed the finding and called the Minnesota DNR. A limited survey was completed by the DNR on Monday, June 6, 2022.
On Saturday, June 11th, volunteers from the Grand Lake Improvement District and Grand Lake Area Association distributed a brief informational letter to each home on Grand Lake. Thank you! Here’s what we know at this point:
Zebra mussels can attach to any hard surfaces. This includes equipment such as boat motors and hulls that are not on a lift and in the water all the time. Swimmers and pets can cut their feet on zebra mussels attached to rocks, docks and swim rafts. Lifting your boats and motors above the water line and wearing swimming shoes may be needed at some point on some properties. I would encourage you to inspect your shoreline, docks and lifts so you know how zebra mussels are impacting your property.
The DNR web page has tips on what you should do and they emphasize that people spread zebra mussels primarily through the movement of water-related equipment. At Grand Lake, our boat inspections will continue. We will support and encourage Lake Service Providers that sell used boats, docks and lifts to be trained in Aquatic Invasive Species and register with the Stearns FiveStar Initiative. Is your Lake Service Provider registered with the Stearns FiveStar Initiative? Ask them to join at: https://www.stearnscountymn.gov/1512/FiveStar-Lake-Service-Provider-Intiative
Thanks everyone.
Scott Palmer, Chair Grand Lake Improvement District
Dear Grand Lake Property Owners,
Yes, zebra mussels are in Grand Lake. Very recently, a resident of Grand Lake informed one of the LID board members that they found what looked like three zebra mussels attached to a clamshell. Grand Lake’s AIS Detector, Jim Meinz, confirmed the finding and called the Minnesota DNR. A limited survey was completed by the DNR on Monday, June 6, 2022.
On Saturday, June 11th, volunteers from the Grand Lake Improvement District and Grand Lake Area Association distributed a brief informational letter to each home on Grand Lake. Thank you! Here’s what we know at this point:
- In a brief survey, the DNR found zebra mussels at three places on Grand Lake. A DNR report is now being prepared and an announcement will go out soon.
- The DNR determined that the zebra mussels were not localized to one or two properties. They also found adult mussels that are likely 2 - 3 years old and are at a stage where they reproduce.
- Zebra mussels like to attach onto hard objects. Look for zebra mussels on your boats, boat lifts, docks and all floating equipment or see if they are attached to clamshells in the water.
- There is no known effective treatment to control zebra mussels.
- If you have suspected zebra mussels in the water by your property,
please contact our AIS detector, Jim Meinz, at (320) 249-3996.
If you are interested, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources web page has
science-based information about zebra mussels. Here is the link:
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquaticanimals/zebramussel/index.html
Minnesota law requires us to:
- Clean watercraft of all aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
- Drain all water by removing drain plugs and keeping them out during transport.
- Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
- Dry docks, lifts, swim rafts and other equipment for at least 21 days before placing equipment into another
Zebra mussels can attach to any hard surfaces. This includes equipment such as boat motors and hulls that are not on a lift and in the water all the time. Swimmers and pets can cut their feet on zebra mussels attached to rocks, docks and swim rafts. Lifting your boats and motors above the water line and wearing swimming shoes may be needed at some point on some properties. I would encourage you to inspect your shoreline, docks and lifts so you know how zebra mussels are impacting your property.
The DNR web page has tips on what you should do and they emphasize that people spread zebra mussels primarily through the movement of water-related equipment. At Grand Lake, our boat inspections will continue. We will support and encourage Lake Service Providers that sell used boats, docks and lifts to be trained in Aquatic Invasive Species and register with the Stearns FiveStar Initiative. Is your Lake Service Provider registered with the Stearns FiveStar Initiative? Ask them to join at: https://www.stearnscountymn.gov/1512/FiveStar-Lake-Service-Provider-Intiative
Thanks everyone.
Scott Palmer, Chair Grand Lake Improvement District
Greetings!
My name is Jim Meinz, Grand Lake resident, LID board member and trained Aquatic Invasive Species Detector. With the recent discovery of zebra mussels in Grand Lake and the 2017 discovery of starry stonewort at our public access, we now have two very aggressive invasives in our lake, plus curly-leaf pondweed which was first verified in 1998. None of these will ever be eradicated from our lake. They can only be managed.
Our starry stonewort hand-pulling management strategy has been very successful in confining it to the public access. This year we changed our curly-leaf management provider in an attempt to improve on acreage reduction. At the present time there is no effective management strategy for zebra mussels. However, we are hopeful current research will find one soon.
In the meantime I would like to track the movement of zebra mussels in our lake. If you suspect you have found zebra mussels at your property, please contact me at (320) 249-3996 for verification. Samples should be placed and sealed in a plastic bag with a moist paper towel and kept in a refrigerator or cooler until I arrive. Thank you for your help and support in managing and stopping the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species.
My name is Jim Meinz, Grand Lake resident, LID board member and trained Aquatic Invasive Species Detector. With the recent discovery of zebra mussels in Grand Lake and the 2017 discovery of starry stonewort at our public access, we now have two very aggressive invasives in our lake, plus curly-leaf pondweed which was first verified in 1998. None of these will ever be eradicated from our lake. They can only be managed.
Our starry stonewort hand-pulling management strategy has been very successful in confining it to the public access. This year we changed our curly-leaf management provider in an attempt to improve on acreage reduction. At the present time there is no effective management strategy for zebra mussels. However, we are hopeful current research will find one soon.
In the meantime I would like to track the movement of zebra mussels in our lake. If you suspect you have found zebra mussels at your property, please contact me at (320) 249-3996 for verification. Samples should be placed and sealed in a plastic bag with a moist paper towel and kept in a refrigerator or cooler until I arrive. Thank you for your help and support in managing and stopping the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species.