Program Information

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Engineer Research and Development Center | Environmental Laboratory | Search EL

Zebra mussels were first discovered in Lake St. Clair in 1988 (Mackie 1989, Griffiths et al. 1991). Subsequent analyses of the Lake St. Clair zebra mussel population indicated that these bivalves were introduced into Lake St. Clair in 1986 (Mackie 1989, Griffiths et al. 1991) The most likely source of introduction was ballast water from an ocean going commercial vessel. Since their introduction zebra mussels have spread throughout the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River drainage basin, and threaten to extend their range to the river basins and water supply systems of the western states. To address this problem and to search for various alternatives for the prevention and control of this nuisance species, the Zebra Mussel Research Program (ZMRP) was authorized by the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, Public Law 101-646, and is the only Federally authorized research program for the development of technology to control zebra mussels. Research areas include the development of filters, antifoulant coatings such as paints and the application of liquid metal compounds, carbon dioxide treatments, the use of electrical fields to prevent attachment of zebra mussels, and biological control using microorganisms.

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