Aug. 8, 2024



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*Minnesota DNR News
*




*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*

Aug. 8, 2024




*For more information:* <[email protected]>

Contact the DNR Information Center
by email  <[email protected]>or call 888-646-6367.





In This Issue

* Fort Snelling State Park to reopen on Friday, Aug. 9 [ #link_1491411839600 ]
* Zebra mussels confirmed in Buffalo Lake in Becker County [ #link_1491411977526 ]
* Zebra mussels confirmed in Lake Byllesby in Goodhue and Dakota counties [ #link_1491412003165 ]

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Fort Snelling State Park to reopen on Friday, Aug. 9

Fort Snelling State Park will reopen to the public on Friday, Aug. 9. The park was closed June 22 due to flooding on the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers. Regular park hours (8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily) will resume on the reopening day. The ranger station and visitor center will be open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Visitors are encouraged to check the alerts on the park’s website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/fortsnelling) to learn what to expect at the park during their visit. The main park road and shoulders have been temporarily patched, and visitors should observe speed limits and proceed with caution. Canoe and kayak rentals will be available at the ranger station. The fishing pier, Picnic Island boat launch on the Minnesota River, and most hiking trails in the park will be open.

Some areas and facilities within the park will remain closed until flood damage is addressed and ongoing cleanup efforts are complete. Remaining closures include the restrooms and Picnic Shelter B on Picnic Island, hiking trails on the Minnesota River side of Pike Island, and the Caspersen boat launch on the Minnesota River near the Cedar Avenue bridge.

Naturalist programs will resume starting Aug. 9, including “After the Flood” walks Aug. 9 and 11 to explore the aftermath of summer flooding with interpretive naturalist Kao Thao. A full listing of events is on the state parks events calendar [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/ptcalendar).

Visitors will need a state park vehicle permit to drive into the park. Vehicle permits can be purchased online or in person at the park during open ranger station hours. Find information on the state parks permit page [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/permit).

*About Fort Snelling State Park*

Located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers near the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, the park is a popular destination for hikers, bikers, birders and school groups. The area was established as a state park in 1961.

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Zebra mussels confirmed in Buffalo Lake in Becker County

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Buffalo Lake near Richwood in Becker County.

A lake property owner contacted the Becker County Soil and Water Conservation District after finding a zebra mussel attached to a snail in Buffalo Lake. A DNR invasive species specialist later found another zebra mussel attached to a dock wheel at the public water access, about 2 miles from the location of the initial discovery.

While zebra mussels and other invasive species can be introduced to a lake via private docks and accesses, public accesses and beaches are typically the first places to be surveyed when the DNR receives a zebra mussel report. 

The most northern bay of Buffalo Lake extends into the White Earth Nation. The DNR has been in contact with the White Earth Nation about this zebra mussel confirmation.

Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:


* *Clean* watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
* *Drain* all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
* *Dispose* of unwanted bait in the trash.
* *Never release* bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
* *Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days *before moving them from one water body to another.

These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:


* *Decontaminate *watercraft and equipment – find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/decon).
* *Spray* watercraft and equipment with high-pressure water or *rinse* with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
* *Dry* watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.

People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.

More information is available on the aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/ais).

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Zebra mussels confirmed in Lake Byllesby in Goodhue and Dakota counties

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Lake Byllesby, near Cannon Falls, in Goodhue and Dakota counties.

In August 2023, DNR staff working with native mussels found one adult zebra mussel. Follow-up surveys and water samples at that time did not indicate more zebra mussels or reproduction. Water samples this summer included four zebra mussel larvae, called veligers, indicating zebra mussel reproduction in the lake.

Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:


* *Clean* watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
* *Drain* all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
* *Dispose* of unwanted bait in the trash.
* *Never release* bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
* *Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days *before moving them from one water body to another.

These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:


* *Decontaminate *watercraft and equipment – find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/decon).
* *Spray* watercraft and equipment with high-pressure water or *rinse* with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
* *Dry* watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.

People should contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.

More information is available on the aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website [ [link removed] ] (mndnr.gov/ais).

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minnesota department of natural resources [ [link removed] ]

*Minnesota Department of Natural Resources  |  mndnr.gov [ [link removed] ] *

Email us: [email protected]  |  Call 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367

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