Zebra mussels found in Bull Shoals Lake

MOUNTAIN HOME - Zebra mussels recently were found in Bull Shoals Lake and Missouri’s Lake Taneycomo.

Gerald Walsh, a retired marine biologist, and Kirk Wright, a retired professional invertebrate collector, found two mature zebra mussels near Lead Hill Marina on Bull Shoals Lake Sept. 13.

The same day, the Missouri Department of Conservation told the AGFC that zebra mussels had been collected from Lake Taneycomo, which drains into Bull Shoals.

Zebra mussels cause damage by forming thick mats that clog municipal water, industrial and power-plant inlets. Masses of mussels can sink boats in marina stalls. Zebra mussels were known in the Mississippi, Arkansas and lower White rivers of Arkansas, but had not been collected in Arkansas’s mountain reservoirs. Zebra mussels also cause a lake to be classified as “contaminated” and stop all fish and bait transfers from lake supplied hatcheries unless expensive, time consuming treatments are undertaken.

To prevent the spread of zebra mussels, boaters should wash boat hulls, trailers and live wells with either a 10 percent bleach solution or high-pressure hot water. Live wells and bait buckets with Bull Shoals water should be dumped before they leave the lake.

Every effort should be made to see that Zebra mussels are not spread to the other area lakes especially Lake Norfork, that supplies water to Mountain Home and the Norfork Fish Hatchery. Here is what you can do:

·       Drain - Drain & remove all waters from boat and gear.

·       Dispose - Dispose of all wild baits & plants in the trash.

·       Decontaminate - Rinse everything with hot water and dry for 1 week or clean & rinse everything with a 10% bleach solution.

Learn more about what you can do to stop the spread of Zebra mussels and other Aquatic Hitchhikers at www.protectyourwaters.net .