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(KSL News) The Utah Department of Wildlife Resources says water samples from Electric Lake in Emery County have tested positive for zebra mussel DNA. This is the first time the DNA has been confirmed in a Utah body of water.
Despite an extensive 2008 DWR campaign to keep zebra and quagga mussels out of Utah, preliminary test results from a couple of months ago indicated several bodies of water might contain microscopic veligers, which are the early-life stages of zebra and quagga mussels.
In a press release today, DWR announced that Electric Lake is the first body of water where the positive results have been confirmed by two different DNA tests.
The tiny clam-shelled creatures can hide on boats and be taken to uninfested waters. The mussels can out-compete native fish for food, foul beaches and even plug outboard motors.
According to a DWR press release, labs are still performing DNA tests on other suspicious waters.
