Zebra Mussels Confirmed in Mina Lake: Officials Urge Boaters to Inspect and Protect
- Steve Jurrens
- Sep 24
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – Brown County, SD - As fall settles across South Dakota, the Game, Fish and Parks Department is issuing a seasonal reminder to boaters and cabin owners: inspect your watercraft and shoreline equipment for aquatic invasive species—especially zebra mussels.
During routine fall maintenance at Mina Lake in Brown County, park staff discovered zebra mussels attached to buoys being removed for winter. The discovery means Mina Lake will now be officially classified as “positive” for zebra mussels, joining a growing list of infested waters across the state.
“This is another reminder of the importance of keeping watercraft clean, drained, and dried,” said Tanner Davis, Aquatic Invasive Species Program Coordinator. “Fall is an excellent opportunity to make sure your equipment is mussel-free, as zebra mussel juveniles and adults begin to show up to the naked eye on infested waters.”
The department is urging all boaters, dock owners, and lake visitors to take extra precautions when removing or storing water-related gear. Zebra mussels can cling to hulls, motors, lifts, and even small crevices in trailers—making them easy to transport unintentionally from one lake to another.
What Boaters Should Do
To help slow the spread, officials recommend following the Clean, Drain, and Dry protocol:
· Clean: Remove all vegetation, debris, and visible mussels from boats, trailers, and gear.
· Drain: Pull all plugs and lower motors to release water from bilges, live wells, and lower units.
· Dry: Allow all equipment to dry thoroughly before launching into another waterbody.
Inspecting watercraft that use Mina Lake is critical to minimize impacts to nearby lakes and rivers. Zebra mussels can disrupt ecosystems, damage infrastructure, and incur thousands of dollars in mitigation efforts for local communities.
For more information and prevention tips, visit sdleastwanted.sd.gov.
