Buckeyes Watch for Zebra Mussels

From May, 1997 (Update #30)

In 1994, zebra mussels were discovered in Orchard Lake (Oakland County, Mich.) after water was transferred from previously infested Cass Lake to maintain Orchard's water levels. Now operators of a large Ohio water utility are on the alert for a similar situation where zebra mussels inadvertently could become introduced to an important supply reservoir by an intentional water diversion. Zebra mussels colonized Ohio's Alum Creek Reservoir in 1995, which does not directly supply water to customers of the Columbus Water Division, one of the largest water utilities in the state. Interestingly, Hoover Reservoir, which is currently uninfested, is connected to Alum Creek via an underground pipeline and used during periods of high-water demand to supply Columbus customers. According to Perry Orndorff of the Water Division, zebra mussel monitoring in Hoover Reservoir has taken place for the past two summers in anticipation of a potential infestation from this water diversion. Fortunately, no zebra mussels have been detected to date. Orndorff said that detecting zebra mussels will continue to be a high priority due to the expense of planned control measures that will be implemented if an infestation is confirmed.

ID: 199705-7.

The Zebra Mussel Update was a 4- to 8-page quarterly national newsletter published by the University of Wisconsin Sea Grant Institute from May 1990 through May 1997. The ZMU documented the spread of the zebra mussel -- an exotic nuisance mussel -- through North America's freshwater environments, especially the Great Lakes, and on efforts to control it.