The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Turtle River Lake, near the town of Turtle River in Beltrami County.

A lake property owner contacted the DNR after finding several dozen zebra mussels on equipment they were removing from Turtle River Lake for the season. A Beltrami County invasive species specialist found zebra mussels on a public access dock and a settlement sampler in Turtle River Lake. A DNR invasive species specialist found zebra mussels attached to docks at two Turtle River Lake public accesses.

Settlement samplers are solid surfaces temporarily placed in the water that people can regularly check for attached zebra mussels, to aid in detecting the invasive mussels.

Several new zebra mussel confirmations in Minnesota lakes in recent years were initially reported by property owners and lake service providers removing docks, boats and boat lifts at the end of the season. It is a good reminder to carefully check boats and trailers, docks and lifts, and all other water-related equipment for invasive species when removing equipment for seasonal storage.

Remember to also keep docks and boat lifts out of the water for at least 21 days before putting them into another body of water. This is state law.

Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:

• Clean watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
• Drain all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
• Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash.
• Never release bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
• Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days before moving them from one water body to another.

These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:

• Decontaminate watercraft and equipment – find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/decon).
• Spray watercraft and equipment with high-pressure water or rinse with water if high-pressure water is not available.
• Dry watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.

People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist (mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.

More information is available on the aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website (mndnr.gov/ais).