RIVER ZEBRA MUSSEL POPULATION DWINDLES (Short Version)

An invasive species common to the Great Lakes has disappeared from oneof the main rivers in the region. But scientists say the reason for thedemise of the zebra mussel on the lower Illinois River will not likelyhelp other bodies of water deal with the pest. The Great Lakes RadioConsortium’s Jonathan Ahl reports:

Transcript

An invasive species common to the Great Lakes has disappeared from
one the main rivers in the region. But scientists say the reason for the
demise of the Zebra Mussel on the lower Illinois River will not likely help
other bodies of water deal with the pest. The Great Lakes Radio
Consortium’s Jonathan Ahl reports.


Zebra Mussels once dominated the lower Illinois River in much the same way
it has other Great Lakes waterways. But now the fingernail-sized animals
have disappeared from the river, and state researchers say sedimentation may
be to blame.


“I think it is ironic that one that one thing we are
adding is bad and its killing something else that’s bad.”


But Pat Charlebois of the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant says sediment is even
worse for the river and not a solution to the Zebra Mussel problem.
However, researchers still plan to study the situation to see if there may
be some insight into stopping the spread of the invasive species. For the
Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Jonathan Ahl.