Friends of Lake Antioch

Zebra Mussels  

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Lake Antioch is one of the few lakes in the area which is free of Zebra Mussels.

 

Zebra and "quagga" mussels, black and white striped clam-like mollusks, clog power plant, industrial, and drinking water intakes, foul boat hulls, encrust historic shipwrecks, and disrupt ecosystems. Economic impacts may reach billions of dollars.

 

Adult mussels can live several days to a week out of water in moist, shaded areas.

 

The mussels may be accidentally carried from infested waters to uninfested waters on trailered boats. Boats in infested waters for 1 or 2 days may transport mussels on their hulls if the boat has rubbed against a mussel covered surface.

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Juvenile mussels can hitchhike on aquatic weeds snagged on engine drive units, propellers and boat trailers. Larvae can be carried in water in live wells, bait buckets, and even engine cooling water systems.

 

Boats that have spent more than 2 days in infested waters may carry such hitchhikers attached to hulls, engine drive units, propellers, anchor chains, or other areas that were wet for a long time.

 

You can help slow the mussel's spread, protect the environment of your favorite waterbodies, and protect your own equipment, by observing the following recommended measures when transporting your boat from infested waters. Simply follow the steps...

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DRAIN

Drain all bilge waters, live wells, bait buckets and engine compartments before entering another lake. Make sure water is not trapped in your trailer. Never transport water from one lake to another. Flush clean water (tap) through the cooling system of your motor to rinse out any larvae. Dump leftover bait into the garbage at the infested waterbody - - live bait should not be taken from infested to uninfested waters.

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INSPECT

At the ramp, thoroughly inspect your boat's hull, drive unit, trim and trolling plates, prop guards, transducers, anchor and anchor rope, oars, and trailer. Scrape off and trash any suspected mussels. Remove all hitchhiking water weeds.

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Full grown zebra mussels can be easily seen but cling stubbornly to surfaces. Boats that have been in the water for long periods of time should be carefully inspected. Carefully scrape the hull (or trailer), or use a high pressure spray (250 psi) to dislodge them. 

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In their earlier stages, attached zebra mussels may not be easily seen. Pass your hand across the boat’s bottom - if it feels grainy, it’s probably covered with mussels. Don’t take a chance; clean them off by scraping or blasting.  

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WASH

After boating, flush the hull, drive unit, live wells & pump system, bilge, trailer, bait bucket, engine cooling system, and other parts that have gotten wet using a hard spray from a garden hose. If the boat was in infested waters for a long period of time, use HOT water or tow the boat through a do-it-yourself carwash. Do not use chlorine bleach or environ mentally unsound solutions.

  

PLEASE DO NOT WASH YOUR BOAT IN YOUR DRIVEWAY.

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Wash water should not drain to uninfested waters or storm sewers leading to uninfested waters.

 

 

DRY

Dry boats and trailers in the sun for 5 days before launching into uninfested waters.

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GUEST WATERCRAFT

FOLA strongly discourages introduction of guest watercraft onto the lake.

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For more information about Zebra Mussels, click this link for an article by the Illinois EPA.

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