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List of Lakes With Zebra Mussels

Zebra mussels are not native to the United States.Carried on freighters, they were first noticed in 1988 in the Great Lakes Region. A zebra mussel is about the size of a thumbnail, and one or two do not cause any harm. However, like rabbits and mice, the mussel's defense against its natural enemies is an extremely high reproduction rate. Because no natural enemies exist in America, zebra mussels are overrunning lakes and rivers. They clog water intake pipes to large cities, drive out native species and decimate the food supply. As of 2011, no effective and cheap solution exists to the overpopulation problem.

Lake Ontario
- Starting from east to west, Lake Ontario is the first lake in the Great Lakes chain. . It is the first easternmost lake in the Saint Lawrence seaway. It borders upstate New York to the south, and Ontario, Canada to the north. The USGS map indicates that zebra mussels are in this lake. It is about 50 percent infested with mussels, mostly along the north shore.
Lake Erie
- Downstream form Lake Ontario is Lake Erie. The south side borders Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. The north side borders Ontario, Canada. The westernmost tip is just south of Detroit, Michigan. The USGS map indicates a heavy zebra mussel infestation.
Lake Saint Clair
- Lake Saint Clair is a freshwater lake that lies just a little north of Detroit and Windsor. Zebra mussels were first noticed in this lake in 1988. Biologists conclude that the mussel was brought in the ballast water of European freighters. When the water was discharged, mussel eggs and larvae were introduced into Lake Saint Clair. This was the starting point of the infestation problem. In 2011, the USGS map indicates a very heavy infestation of mussels in the lake.
Lake Huron
- North of Lake Saint Clair is Lake Huron. This lake borders Michigan on its western shore and Ontario, Canada on its eastern shore. It is the second-largest lake in the Great Lakes chain. The USGS map indicates a heavy infestation.
Lake Superior
- Lake Superior is the northernmost lake in the Great Lakes chain. it is bordered by Ontario to the north and Michigan's Upper Peninsula to the south. Its western tip just touches Wisconsin and Minnesota. The USGS map depicts a very light zebra mussel infestation. Little pockets are formed, mostly in the northern middle coast and around the western tip. This lake is about 90 percent zebra mussel-free.
Lake Michigan
- Lake Michigan is the westernmost lake in the chain. Its western shore is along Wisconsin, and its eastern shore is along Michigan. Its southern tip touched Illinois, near Chicago. The USGS map depicts an infestation mostly along the eastern and western shores, near the coastline of Michigan and Wisconsin. Another mussel, the Quagga mussel, is invading the middle of the lake.

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