Sports
New Weapon Deployed in DNR's War on Zebra Mussels
Invasive species experts hope technology and a new process will help reclaim local lakes.
The Minnesota DNR began deploying a new set of high-pressure decontamination units last week at local boat access points around the area.
On Friday at the Gray's Bay boat launch, Luke Skinner, a state invasive species unit supervisor, led a demonstration of how the new equipment will help stop and roll back invasive the spread of aquatic hitchhikers such as the zebra mussel.
The system uses a high-pressure and high-temperature spray of water to remove any parasites found on or in the boat. In addition, the new systems are mobile and can recycle the water they use in the cleaning. Operated by an invasive species inspection assistant, as demonstrated by Adam Doll, the unit is used on watercraft after contamination has been discovered by a routine inspection.