![Dead Zebra Mussels displayed at a press conference on Thursday morning at Riverfront Regional Park. ] The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is ramping up enforcement of aquatic invasive species. MONICA HERNDON monica.herndon@startribune.com Fridley, MN 07/10/14 ORG XMIT: MIN1407101218140722](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/GA43IBRQHCPIQP6VKGI4CJRCJQ.jpg?&w=1080)
Another west metro lake is the latest in Minnesota to be infected with zebra mussels.
The invasive species has now infested Lake Virginia, a small 104-acre lake in Carver County just southwest of Lake Minnetonka. The state Department of Natural Resources and Minnehaha Creek Watershed District confirmed the news Wednesday after a citizen volunteer checking water levels found a zebra mussel near the lake's public access on Aug. 15.
The Watershed District says the discovery wasn't surprising given that the lake's public access is located near a channel connecting to Lake Minnetonka, a 14,000-acre-plus lake that has had the mussels since 2010. The DNR has designated nearly 200 waterways statewide as infested with zebra mussels.
No immediate action — like the unusual, rapid response that happened on nearby Christmas Lake on Monday to kill off zebra mussels — will take place on Lake Virginia. That, the DNR says, is because there is a high likelihood of the critters being reintroduced through the channel.
As at other lakes, experts say boaters should prevent the spread of zebra mussels by cleaning and draining boats after leaving the water.
KELLY SMITH
