LINCOLN, Neb. – The presence of invasive zebra mussels has been confirmed at Lake Yankton in Cedar County, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
This South Dakota border water, also known as Cottonwood Lake, sits below Lewis and Clark Lake’s Gavins Point dam and just north of the Missouri River. In recent years, zebra mussels became established in Lewis and Clark and the river from the dam to the Kansas border.
“With the presence of zebra mussels in these locations, it is imperative that all anglers and boaters practice the Clean, Drain and Dry protocol for all their equipment,” said Daryl Bauer, Game and Parks’ fisheries outreach program manager. “They also must be sure no lake or river water from any of these areas is transported to any water body.”
Boaters should drain all water from their boat. Tilt gas motors up and down to help drain water from the lower unit. Use a towel to dry areas such as live wells. If boaters expect to launch into a different water body within five days, spraying all water-storage areas with vinegar will assist in killing young, microscopic mussels that might be present.
Anglers who plan to harvest fish should plan to transport them on ice. It is illegal to transport any fish in water from any non-domestic source.
To learn more about zebra mussels, visit the website of the Nebraska Invasive Species Program at neinvasives.com.
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