	Dunham Lake in Michigan
Dunham Lake Fish and Water Quality - Zebra Mussels Information

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Zebra Mussels Information for Dunham Lake Users

Dunham Lake currently does not appear to have any zebra mussels. It would be best to keep it this way because the zebra mussels inflict a fair amount of havoc on an ecosystem. They attach themselves to everything and kill off native critters. They also eat up fish food. Pretty much every big lake in the state has zebra mussels. Dunham has decent conditions for them so we are at risk for getting them too. Zebra mussels can live out of water for several days in moist shaded areas. When kept wet, adults can survive for more than a week. This means that they can be transported easily from one region to another. Should your boat or fishing gear have been in an infested area for even a few days it could carry zebra mussels upstream or, by being moved by road, introduce them to another lake or river.

Watch out for Hitchhikers 1. INSPECT and CLEAN any zebra mussels and aquatic vegetation from the boat hull, trailer, anchor, anchor rope and chain. If you see any “hitchhiking” zebra mussels, scrape them off and discard in a trash can.
2. DRAIN all water from the boat and its components. Before leaving the infested area drain bait buckets.
3. DRY the boat, trailer, and equipment. Allow the boat and trailer to dry thoroughly in the sun before transporting to non-infested waters. If it is hot and dry, leaving the boat out of the water for two to four days will effectively kill the mussels.
4. LEAVE any live bait behind. Bait used in infested waters should not be transported to non-infested waters. Give the bait to someone headed out on the body of water you are leaving, or discard at the boat launch.
5. Scuba divers should immerse all equipment, including wet suits, in 110 degree water for 10 minutes. If a mask or snorkel has any eft over water in it be sure to drain it away from Dunham Lake, then immerse it as above.

If you would like more information please check out our web site for links to other sites about Zebra Mussels.

If you see a zebra mussel in the lake please remove it, put it in a jar of alcohol and send me email at dianeh@cirrus.sprl.umich.edu

For more information click on the links below.
http://ngp.ngpc.state.ne.us/fish/whatsnew/zebra.html
http://www.nfrcg.gov/zebra.mussel/
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/lakeerie/zebra.html
http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/publications/nuisances/zebras/fs-058.html

DUNHAM LAKE IN MICHIGAN

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