Zebra mussels confirmed in Stearns County's Pearl Lake

The Minnesota DNR has confirmed zebra mussels in Pearl Lake, south of Rockville in Stearns County. The agency announced the finding Oct. 29.

A lakeshore property owner reported the mussels after finding them on a dock pulled out for the season. A DNR invasive species specialist then confirmed several zebra mussels on a boat lift. The DNR says property owners and lake service providers removing docks, boats and lifts in the fall have been the first to report several new infestations in recent years.

State law requires anglers and boaters to clean watercraft and gear of plants and prohibited invasive species, drain water and leave drain plugs out during transport, and put unwanted bait in the trash. Docks, lifts and rafts must dry for 21 days before they go into another water body. The DNR also recommends decontamination or a high-pressure rinse, and five days of drying between lakes. Anyone who finds a suspected invasive species in a new water body should call a DNR aquatic invasive species specialist.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Minnesota DNR: Zebra mussels confirmed in Pearl Lake in Stearns County (Oct. 29, 2026).