Editor's Note

From February 19, 1992 (update #12)

Zebra mussels established a strong presence in southern Lake Michigan during 1991, with frequent observations south of Sheboygan, Wis., on the west shore and south of Manistee, Mich., on the east shore of the lake. Zebra mussels also began to establish a strong presence in southern Green Bay. Perhaps the most unusual observation was the continuing low densities of mussels in the Duluth-Superior harbor, which remained almost identical to the densities observed during 1990. This is the first evidence of an established zebra mussel colony in the Great Lakes that is not thriving. In several ways, summer 1991 marked a significant milestone for zebra mussels in Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan. First, zebra mussels became more than a distant threat, with densities reaching the point where water utilities, industries and power plants began control measures to cope with the molluscs. Second, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources began receiving permit requests for measures to deter zebra mussel infestations. Third, and perhaps most important, zebra mussels became more than "just" a Great Lakes problem. The September and January sightings of the mussel in the Upper Mississippi River means Wisconsin's extensive system of rivers and 15,000 named lakes are now exposed to infestation and significant ecological damage.

ID: 19920219-1.

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.