Zebra Mussels

Since the late 1980s, zebra mussels have been spreading in the lakes and rivers of the United States. Zebra mussels were first discovered in North America in 1988 in Lake St. Clair, a relatively small lake that connects two of the Great Lakes -- Lake Erie and Lake Huron. They are now established in many smaller lakes in the Great Lakes region and many of the large navigable rivers in the central and northeastern U.S. Zebra mussel adults or larvae have been found in at least 30 states, including Nebraska. Due to their record of spreading rapidly upon entering a new area, zebra mussels are a potential economic and environmental threat to Nebraska waters.