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MPR News Staff
St. Paul, Minn.

DNR declares second Becker County lake infested after zebra mussel found

Aquatic invasives
Starting at top right, clockwise: Zebra mussels, Asian carp, flowering rush, spiny waterflea, faucet snail, eurasian watermilfoil.
Photos: MPR News, AP, DNR, USGS

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Days after confirming zebra mussels in one Becker County Lake, officials on Thursday acknowledged another lake in the county is infested.

A zebra mussel was found in Pickerel Lake, seven miles northeast of Detroit Lakes in west-central Minnesota, attached to a rock in about 13 feet of water, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said.

It was discovered Saturday by a citizen scuba diving in the lake. Searches continued Saturday and Sunday, the DNR Said.

No more zebra mussels were found but the land-locked lake will be designated as infested, the agency added.

• Map: See where zebra mussels have spread in Minnesota

The Pickerel Lake discovery comes just a week after the DNR confirmed a zebra mussel colony in popular Lake Melissa, southwest of Detroit Lakes.

State and local officials said then they were working to slow the spread of the invasive pests in Becker County.

More than 175 Minnesota lakes and rivers are now infested with zebra mussels, an invasive species that can push out native mussels. They can also cause more algae and weed growth — they filter the lake water, allowing sunlight to penetrate more deeply. They attach to boats, making it easy for them to travel and contaminate other waters.

Gov. Mark Dayton recently signed legislation to distribute $10 million a year to local governments to fight the mussels and other aquatic invasive species.