It was first found in Lake St. Clair in 1988 and has spread to each of the Great Lakes. It has become very abundant in some areas, filtering large amounts of water and is a threat to native mussels. Zebra mussels have severely impaired native mussel communities by colonizing native mussel surfaces and suffocating the mussels with their byssal thread attaching structures. They colonize hard structures and have clogged water systems of power plants, water treatment facilities, irrigation systems, and industrial water intake structures at large cost to industry. Zebra mussels also filter plankton out of the water column.
Plankton is a food source for small fish.
Each mussel can filter approximately 1 quart of water per day, and where zebra mussels are abundant they have significantly cleared up the water. A variety of fish and ducks eat zebra mussels, although not enough to effectively control them. There is some concern that zebra mussels may concentrate contaminants from soil and the water column into their body mass and may transfer these contaminants to fish and wildlife who feed on them. Zebra mussel shells are also very sharp, and where dead mussel shells have washed on shore they clutter beaches making walking for swimmers very difficult. To prevent the spread of zebra mussels you should always empty the bilge tank and remove all water from your boat when you take it out of the water.