Avoid these stowaways

This column originally appeared as a Discover Nature blog on semissourian.com/blogs.

During the hot summer months we all want to be in a boat on a lake or river. But as we enjoy the sunshine and cool waters, it's important to keep in mind what we don't want to take home with us when we go.

One of Missouri's most unwanted invasive species, the zebra mussel, is all too good at stowing away on our boats and gear. When successful, they can wreak havoc on our most pristine waterways.

Zebra mussels are fingernail-sized, black-and-white striped mollusks native to the Caspian Sea region of Asia. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, these mussels came to North American waters in international shipping ballast water and were discovered in Lake St. Clair near Detroit in 1988. Since then, zebra mussels have spread rapidly throughout the Great Lakes and connected waterways of the Mississippi River, including the Arkansas, Illinois, Ohio and Tennessee rivers.

The Missouri Department of Conservation warns that over the next several decades, zebra mussels could spread to other freshwater locations in Missouri and throughout North America.

You can help prevent the spread of zebra mussels by observing the following "clean boating" suggestions when transporting your boat.

First, thoroughly inspect your boat and trailer. Scrape off and trash any suspected mussels, however small. Also, remove all water weeds hanging from the boat or trailer. Drain all the water from the boat, specifically from the motor, livewell, bilge and transom wells.

Throw leftover bait in the trash before you leave an area. Leftover live aquatic bait that has contacted infested waters should not be taken to uninfested waters.

When you get home thoroughly rinse every inch of your boat; use a hard spray from a garden hose or tow the boat through a do-it-yourself carwash and use high pressure hot water. Don't use chlorine bleach or other environmentally unsound washing solutions.

Boats, motors and trailers should be allowed to dry thoroughly in the sun for at least five days before boating again.

When in infested waters, the best way to keep a hull mussel-free is to run the boat frequently (small juvenile mussels are quite soft and are scoured off the hull at high speeds).

On boats that remain in the water, zebra mussels can attach to drive units, cover or enter water intakes, and clog, overheat and destroy the engine.

Lastly, learn what these invasive creatures look like. If you suspect a new infestation of an exotic plant or animal, report it to the Department of Conservation or other natural resource agency.

To report a potential zebra mussel sighting, go online to www.MissouriConservation.org or to the Missouri Stream Team website, www.MoStreamTeam.org.

Candice Davis is the media specialist for the Missouri Department of Conservations Southeast and Ozark regions. Though raised to appreciate the Missouri outdoors, Candice is discovering nature on a new and exciting level as she gets up close and personal with snakes, insects and Southeast Missouri's diverse landscape. Her goal is to share her learning experiences and show Southeast Missourians how they're directly connected to their land.