Zebra mussel found in Iowa Great Lakes - KTIV News 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and Sports

A zebra mussel has been found in one of the Iowa Great Lakes, but officials say there does not appear to be an infestation of the invasive species.  The Iowa DNR says it recently collected a single juvenile zebra mussel on a sampling plate in Upper Gar Lake used to monitor for the presence of zebra mussels.

No additional mussels or mussel larvae were found on several other samplers placed throughout the Okoboji chain of lakes.  Had they shown up, it would indicate that natural reproduction had occurred in the lakes.

"We will be doing additional monitoring in the Iowa Great Lakes but until additional zebra mussels or veligers are found, it is too soon to say that a population has become established," said Kim Bogenschutz, aquatic invasive species program coordinator for the DNR.

"There is a chance that this mussel came from a veliger released into the water at a nearby boat ramp and that this introduction may not result in an infestation," said Mike Hawkins, Spirit Lake district fisheries biologist.