Zebra Mussel Open House & Update

There will be a public open house on zebra mussels and actions individuals can take to help stop their spread, Thursday, May 18, at the Spooner Ag Research Center. The open house will go from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by a Q & A panel from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Spooner Ag Research station is located at W 6646 Highway 70, just east of Spooner.

Last October, a small number of zebra mussels were discovered in Big McKenzie Lake straddling the border between Washburn and Burnett counties. These aquatic invasive mussels will encrust docks, boats, rocks, and other hard surfaces. In large numbers, they hamper boating, swimming, fishing, and the economies that benefit from those activities. Zebra mussels multiply rapidly and are spread from one water body to another by boats, trailers, and other gear that was exposed to them.

There will be eight informational stations on controlling zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species:

1.      Welcome and event information, by the St. Croix River Association.

2.      Citizen decontamination recommendations, by the Burnett County Lakes & Rivers Association. 

3.      Decontamination demonstration for boats, trailers, and personal watercraft by Wisconsin DNR.

4.      Clean Boats – Clean Waters Program, by Wisconsin DNR. 

5.      Zebra mussel biology, by the National Park Service.