Zebra Mussel Monitoring Program with LakeSmart

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In the fall of 2019, zebra mussel veligers, their larval form, were first identified in the southern basin of Lake of the Woods in Minnesota. To date, there have not been any adult mussels found in the lake and there is speculation as to whether or not they can be supported based on water chemistry, specifically calcium concentrations in the water. The number of veligers identified by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources each year since 2019 suggests that there are adult mussels present in the lake; however, we are lacking high-resolution monitoring data to confirm this speculation and identify where and how many there are.

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Your Help

LOWDSA is excited to launch a citizen science program to help monitor the Lake of the Woods watershed. Wide scale distribution of zebra mussel settlement samplers will increase capacity for early detection of zebra mussels. Data generated may identify hotspots and point towards solutions for managing the spread to other lakes. This citizen science monitoring program, which can be as simple as checking a trap at the end of your dock every few weeks, will support government monitoring efforts by increasing the frequency of monitoring and the distribution of monitoring locations. It will also provide data for the association and its members on the Zebra Mussel situation on Lake of the Woods.

Settlement Sampler & Set Up

Settlement samplers are surfaces on which zebra mussels will settle after they complete their larval (“veliger”) stage. LakeSmart will be recording data such as the location and depth at which the sampler is submerged. We ask that the settlement sampler is monitored frequently and if there are any signs of the invasive species they are reported to EDDmapS as well LOWDSA at epm@lowdsa.com.

The LakeSmart team has pre-assembled the settlement sampler for your convenience.

Attach the provided rope securely to the monitoring device
Choose a location where the device will not be disturbed by people
Submerge samplers near but not resting on the lake bottom. Settlement Samplers do not need to be placed close to shore
Record the depth of each sampler and the dates that each sampler was placed in the water and retrieved.
If you want to check the samplers more frequently, be careful not to disturb settled mussels and return the sampler to its original depth.

What the Settlement Sampler looks like

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