ZEBRA MUSSEL INFESTATIONS CONTINUE

    As 2024 drew to a close, 25 water bodies in South Dakota were confirmed to be infested with in    vasive zebra mussels. This year, North Rush Lake, Pelican Lake, and Bullhead Lake were added to the list, underscoring the continued spread of this destructive species. Alarmingly, more than half of South Dakota’s zebra mussel infestations have been discovered within the last three years, highlighting the difficulty of prevention. 
    In September, fisheries staff from South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks (GFP) identified zebra mussels in Bullhead Lake, located in Marshall County. “We essentially do double duty when surveying lakes in the fall,” explained John Lott, GFP’s fisheries section chief. “Our employees not only gather data for fisheries management but also search for zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species (AIS). While surveying lakes in northeastern South Dakota, our staff discovered zebra mussels on several rocks in Bullhead Lake.”
    As a result, GFP now considers Bullhead Lake officially positive for zebra mussels.
    The South Dakota Lakes and Streams Association emphasizes the severe economic impact of zebra mussels, estimating annual costs in the tens of millions of dollars. These costs affect agricultural irrigation, hydroelectric power, municipal and rural water supplies, recreational tourism, and property taxes. The association calls for an urgent, collaborative effort to enhance prevention measures. Such actions could mitigate economic damage and provide researchers more time to develop cost-effective methods to control or eradicate zebra mussels.
    Information gathered from GFP’s lake surveys, including data on invasive species, is available in the Fish Surveys, Reports, and Maps database on the South Dakota GFP website.