Officials try to stop spread of zebra mussels in Mo. lake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The discovery of destructive zebra mussels in a southwest Missouri lake has prompted concerns about the invasive species spreading.

A few zebra mussels have been found in Lake Taneycomo, and officials are trying to keep them out of adjoining Table Rock Lake. Earlier this month, Empire District Electric workers at Ozark Beach Dam at Lake Taneycomo found zebra mussels on a waterlogged tree.

"They were aware enough, thankfully, to scrape them off," said Missouri Department of Conservation private lands program regional supervisor Brian Canaday. "It was pretty obvious right away they were zebra mussels."

The dam is on the east side of Lake Taneycomo, where it empties into Bull Shoals Lake.

Although Canaday said fewer than 25 mussels have been found, fisheries program supervisor Mike Cruse said the mussels could spread.

"I don't think there will be much to keep them from spreading upstream on Taneycomo, if they're not already there," he said. "We are concerned about that, and hoping to get as many people as possible aware of their presence in Lake Taneycomo."

Zebra mussels filter microscopic creatures out of water so much that murky lakes are turned clear. The process removes food needed by some fish and overwhelms native mussels. The mussels can also wreak havoc at power plants and municipal water plants.

"Our plant personnel have been on the lookout for zebra mussels for quite some time," said Empire spokeswoman Julie Maus. "They are remaining alert for that."

Boats can carry mussels from lake to lake, making it difficult to contain them, said Rockaway Beach Mayor Larry Cline, who owns Rainbow Haven Resort and Marina.

The Conservation Department is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to caution Table Rock Lake boaters about the threat, Cruse said.

"The local traffic between the two lakes makes that transfer likely, unless literally every person who goes between the two lakes is extra vigilant," he said.

Zebra mussels have caused billions of dollars in damage in the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins. They are the size of a BB when they first form shells. They attach to a surface and eventually grow to about thumb size.

Table Rock Lake manager Greg Oller said visitors are alerted about zebra mussels routinely.

"We hand out that information through our park attendants as campers and boaters and day users are coming in," he said. "I'm sure we're going to look at what we need to do to step up our efforts."

Two Zebra Mussels have been found on nearby Bull Shoals Lake at Diamond City, Ark., said Mark Oliver, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission assistant chief.

"We know there's not a severe infestation," Oliver said. "We've looked and looked and looked, and we can't find any more."

Zebra mussels were found in central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks in 2006. "Once they got there, it's probably not surprising they'd show up in other places (in Missouri)," Cruse said.

To prevent zebra mussels from spreading, water recreationists are encouraged to inspect and rinse their boats and equipment and drain all water from them.

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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com