NGPC says Nebraska is ‘holding the defensive line’ on zebra mussels; aquatic vegetation remains widespread

Christopher Star, NGPC’s aquatic invasive species manager, told webinar attendees that Nebraska currently has few public-water zebra mussel infestations and that the agency is 'holding the defensive line.' He said the Missouri River and Lewis and Clark Lake are infested but that "in the past 5 years, we have had no new occurrences of zebra mussels in public water bodies." He noted one new occurrence in a private water body (Beaver Lake near Plattsmouth).

Star credited outreach, public cooperation and watercraft inspections for slowing spread: NGPC crews conducted more than 8,000 watercraft inspections last year, and staff urged boaters to 'clean, drain, dry' and to report suspicious organisms. He warned that introduction by a single boater can permanently infest a lake and that control options for zebra mussels are limited.

Beyond zebra mussels, Star said aquatic vegetation is the most widespread invasive problem in Nebraska, naming Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed as species of concern. He said NGPC has sampled over 100 water bodies for aquatic plants in the past five years to detect invasive plants early when herbicide treatments are most effective. Star added that this year NGPC has funding to treat invasive aquatic plants and that the agency completed its first whole-lake Procellacor treatment at a North Platte I‑80 Lake.

NGPC urged anglers and water users to report suspected invasives and to cooperate with inspection programs. Staff said monitoring and treatment will continue and that early detection remains the most effective control strategy.