Volunteers Check for Veligers at Lake Vermilion

Lake association volunteers Renee and Bob Pearson conducted two plankton net tows on July 17 and July 27 near the mouth of East Two River. Material collected in the net will be examined by RMB Environmental Labs to check for zebra mussel larvae, called veligers.

The DNR’s 2019 discovery of veligers at Lake of the Woods has important implications for Lake Vermilion. Both lakes have generally low calcium levels, well below the levels thought suitable for zebra reproduction.

No veligers or adult zebra mussels have been found at Lake Vermilion. However, the Lake of the Woods discovery re-opens the question on whether zebras might conceivably get a foothold at the mouth of East Two River where it enters Pike Bay. East Two River has relatively high calcium levels at certain times of the year when rainfall is low. As a precaution, volunteers have resumed a comprehensive adult and veliger early detection plan on East Two River.

Additional information about AIS prevention at Lake Vermilion can be found at the Vermilion Lake Association website www.VermilionLakeAssociation.org under the “AIS Prevention” tab.