Zebra+Mussel+-+Kevin+Breen

Zebra Mussels ** // -   //// Dreissena Polymorpha // - These Zebra mussels usually are at least 2 inches in length and attach to hard objects for long amounts of time. When the mussels are small they are the size of the diameter of a piece of hair and can not be seen by the naked eye. **Detailed Discription** - The reproduction for these mussels are among the most prolific of all animals. The adult female produces from 30,000 to 1 million eggs per year, reproduction usually occurs in late spring to early summer by free swimming larvae. - This organism is so successful because of the high reproductive rates, and how fast the little eggs travel in the currents. - Zebra mussels first came from the Wisconson waters of lake michigan in 1990. They are found in some of the inland waters also. In 1991 the mussels made their way to pool 8 of the Mississippi River. They were able to travel down stream by floating, and even upstream would get infested because they would attach to barges. As of 2003, their distribution included the entire Wisconson portion of the Mississippi and extended up to stillwater in the St. Croix river. As of 2008 they have pretty much spread all the way through the northeastern states.
 * General Information
 * Habitat and distruption**

This is an infestation map showing the spread of Zebra Mussels through the Northeastern States http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/AIS/listsandmaps/2008/ZMdistribution080519.pdf

The Zebra mussels in the great lake region
 * Impacts**

Within the Great **Lakes region, the zebra mussel infestation has created a severe economic problem. Zebra mussels have had a tremendous impact on facilities that use raw surface water, such as utility plants, factories, and water treatment plants. These mussels will attach and colonize inside water intake pipes, wells, and screen systems. In addition to clogging pipes and reducing the flow, zebra mussels infiltrate interior plant structures, causing obstruction of [ump valves and leading to failures of vital plant components. This scenario occurred at the Monroe waterworks plant on Lake Erie. As a result, the 24,000 residents of Monroe, Michigan experienced several water outages during 1989 to 1991. The estimated cost of the infestation was $300,950—44 percent of which went to cleaning of intake pipes and research and engineering studies ([|3]) .** **The zebra mussel infestation has also had a major impact on recreational water use. Boat and marina owners have had to find ways to remove the encrusted mussels from their boat hulls, piers, and moorings. And in recreational areas, the smell of dead, rotting mussels has driven beachgoers away. Great Lakes officials estimate that as much as $5 billion will be spent in 10 years on zebra mussel control.

History**

Eurasian ** zebra mussels ,** //Dreissena polymorpha, (Pallas),// were introduced via ballast to the Great Lakes in the mid 80s. They have spread very rapidly to all of the Great Lakes, inland waterways, and several states rivers (including the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Hudson, Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Arkansas, and Tennessee rivers).