Roger Duval fears an animal the size of a thimble.
Duval, president of the Bald Eagle Lake Property Owners Association is confident for now that Zebra Mussels are yet to hitch a ride into the 125 acre lake.
‘Last summer, the (lake) clarity wasn’t very good. Whether or not it’s from the pesticides people are using or boaters just ‘mucking? up the lake, it wasn’t at its best. We haven’t seen any trace of zebra mussels in our lake though,? said Duval.
Originally from Russia, the zebra mussel may have been transported in ballast waters of a transatlantic freighter from Europe on the northern shores of the Black Sea. The tiny planktonic larva attaches itself to living and non-living surfaces, such as crawfish, turtles, water intake pipes, docks, and boats.
Often the clarity of lakes can contribute to the work of zebra mussels. The mollusks are excellent ecosystem engineers filtering inland lakes and improving clarity by removing particles. The process allows more light to reach the bottom creating more algae for them to feed upon.
Like other private lakes, Bald Eagle Lake has no public access, says Duval, a factor that may have kept the lake zebra mussel free.
‘The one area boaters could gain access to the lake is through a ramp at the Boat Bar. They have a verbal agreement with Bullfrogs to close the ramp if they end up buying it. That will cut down on any public activity on our lake,? said Duval.
Locally several larger sports lakes are private, which may be a factor helping to prevent the spread. However, in several area public lakes, boaters are not required to check for the pesky creatures, rather only recommended. A measure that may have helped.
At Ortonville Recreational Area in Hadley Township, park ranger Jason Dunkel, says no zebra mussels have been reported on Big Fish Lake.
‘We do recommend people who are coming onto the lake to power wash the bottom of their boats, steam them or let them dry in the sun for more than a day. Big problems are reported to the DNR or the Lapeer County Health Department,? said Dunkel.
Other private lakes are taking similar precautions regarding boaters that may jump between lakes.
Billy Snider, lake front owner on Lake Shinanguag in Atlas Township said he has seen no sign of the zebra mussel.
‘I have lived here for 24 years and it’s been fine. I was recently in Sebewaing and noticed all the mussels at the bottom of the lakes up north. Before, you could never have seen the bottom, it’s clear as day now,? said Snider.
The private launch site near Sniders? home has a sign posted at the boat launch that recommends boaters inspect their vessel for the mussels and other unwanted pests.
Many environmental departments are working together to solve the problem without eliminating the species.
‘They can transport themselves from rivers and watersheds finding their way to a more desirable home. There are precautions you can take, but it’s hard to stop them after they have reached the adult stage,? said Jim Francis, a fisheries biologist with the Department of Natural Resources-Fisheries Division.
Michigan State University, The Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, and the Great Lakes Science Center, to name a few, are continuously working to prevent the spread into area lakes such as Louise, Shinanguag and the numerous state parks that have not been affected.