Zebra mussels are a small bivalve mollusk that originate from Eastern Europe and Western Asia (kdheks.gov). Zebra Mussels get their name because, of their cream and black stripes on their shells. Zebra mussels have small dime sized, triangle shaped shells. Zebra Mussels in large numbers are known as colonies and can contain millions of individual mussels. They’re known as an exotic invasive species because they are nonnative to US waters. Unlike our native Kansas mussels, Zebra Mussels don’t require a fish host to complete their life cycle. One female Zebra Mussel can produce up to one million eggs, which within months they are adult mussels.
Zebra mussels were first introduced to the United States in 1986 and are believed to have entered the US through the Great Lakes (kdheks.gov). Biologists believe that Zebra Mussels were introduced by ships from Eastern Europe and Western Asia releasing their ballast water from their ships into the Great Lakes. Within the last century, Zebra Mussels are believed to have worked their way through our rivers and have been transported from those rivers by unknowing boaters to our local lakes. Zebra mussels were first found in Kansas in 2003 at El Dorado Reservoir. So far Zebra Mussels have been found in at least eleven Kansas lakes and many other rivers and water ways. Zebra Mussels attach …show more content…
These Mussels also can cause Kansas huge economic problems. Zebra Mussels are a menace to utilities that pump water through pipes. These mussels can clog large three foot pipes. These can cause disturbance with water intake facilities and irrigation systems. These mussels clog water intake pipes which restrict the flow of water to the power plant. This causes a reduced intake to our heat exchangers, firefighting equipment, and our condensers. This restricted flow can cause large problems for both nuclear and hydro power plants
Zebra mussels were first introduced to the United States in 1986 and are believed to have entered the US through the Great Lakes (kdheks.gov). Biologists believe that Zebra Mussels were introduced by ships from Eastern Europe and Western Asia releasing their ballast water from their ships into the Great Lakes. Within the last century, Zebra Mussels are believed to have worked their way through our rivers and have been transported from those rivers by unknowing boaters to our local lakes. Zebra mussels were first found in Kansas in 2003 at El Dorado Reservoir. So far Zebra Mussels have been found in at least eleven Kansas lakes and many other rivers and water ways. Zebra Mussels attach …show more content…
These Mussels also can cause Kansas huge economic problems. Zebra Mussels are a menace to utilities that pump water through pipes. These mussels can clog large three foot pipes. These can cause disturbance with water intake facilities and irrigation systems. These mussels clog water intake pipes which restrict the flow of water to the power plant. This causes a reduced intake to our heat exchangers, firefighting equipment, and our condensers. This restricted flow can cause large problems for both nuclear and hydro power plants