whack when zebra mussels get into a
reservoir," Barada said.
But these mussels are more than
filtering fiends: they're sneaky, too.
Excess filtering reduces the quality
of the habitat for most other aquatic
species in that waterbody. It can make
the water appear clearer, which to
some may appear visually healthier
than a lake that's slightly cloudy.
Barada said clearer water is often less
productive water. Bluegreen algae
blooms have been attributed to changes
made by these mussels since they
selectively filter green algae instead
of the bluegreens.
"Sampling methods for these
mussels are like looking for a needle
in a haystack," said Zach. "Most of
the time when we find larvae or
adults an infestation is already
established."
There are currently three waterbodies
infested by zebra mussels in Nebraska
– Offutt Air Force Base Lake, Lewis
and Clark Lake and the Missouri River
below Gavins Point Dam. There are
no quagga mussel infestations at this
time. "It is a continuing battle to keep
our waterbodies protected because
neighboring states have detected zebra
and quagga mussels, and people are
highly mobile with their watercrafts
which serve as a major vector for these
mussels," Zach said.
Offutt Base Lake
Offutt Air Force Base Lake is located
in Bellevue and presence of zebra
mussels was confirmed in 2006. The
lake was treated with copper sulfate
in both 2008 and 2009 and initial
MARCH 2016 • NEBRASKAland 41
Invasive Species Technician JoLeisa Cramer removes a plankton drag sample from Offutt Air Force Base Lake in Aug. 2015.
While quagga mussels (left) and zebra mussels (right) are small, do not let their size
make you think they can't become a problem in Nebraska's waterbodies.
PHOTO
BY
SARAH
KOCHER
PHOTO
COURTESY
OF
CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT
OF
FISH
AND
WILDLIFE
