SHERIDAN LAKE, SD — Following the discovery of two specimens of the invasive Zebra Mussel in a regular infrastructure inspection, the South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks department has asked boaters to be aware of the hard-shelled invader and to remember to clean, drain, and dry after a day on the water.
Sheridan comes as the second such incursion of the invasive mollusk in western South Dakota, following confirmation of Zebra Mussel presence at Pactola. Since then, Game, Fish & Parks has been putting in significant efforts to inform the public and slow the spread of the Mussel, which deprives aquatic wildlife of the zooplankton which are essential for juvenile fish and which can cause harm and blockage to aquatic infrastructure, in addition to being a safety risk for beachgoers. “They can clog up basically anyone that pulls water from a reservoir from an impacted water body that infrastructure, whatever that may be that is the biggest concern,” says Nick Harrington, a representative of the GF&P Department.
For now though, the incident at sheridan seems to have been caught early. The two specimens discovered are young “year 0” mussels, which likely entered as microscopic larva in the summer before growing to visible size in the fall. With this in mind, GF&P is already at work with a number of other organizations to address the issue, and encourages the public to take caution in order to protect themselves and the environment which makes the Black Hills the beautiful place it is.
At this time, bick recommends those going into rockier areas of the water to wear water shoes, as the shell of the Zebra Mussel can be sharp enough to cut, and additionally asks those going out onto the water to clean, drain, and dry their vessels after every outing to ensure no hidden passengers find their way to other bodies of water.
Those looking to learn more are encouraged to visit SD’s Least Wanted website for information on this species and other potential threats to local ecosystems to look out for.
