The province’s attack on zebra mussels in Lake Winnipeg began Saturday, when a small boat with a long tail released liquid potash into Winnipeg Beach Harbour.
“[The potash] will be pumped from the storage tanks through a floating hose to the deck and diffused through PVC leads out the front into the water,” said Dan Butts, an engineer working on the project.
The province expects the half-million dollar plan to take less than a month to complete.
Time is a factor as the invasive zebra mussels begin laying eggs when temperatures rise and females can lay over one million eggs in a spawning season.
The tiny invaders also disrupt the food chain and damage property.
While the species is mostly void of natural predators, the potassium in potash is a kiss of death.
"It interferes with the way oxygen transfers across the gill material, causing essentially a slow suffocation," Butts said.
Three other Lake Winnipeg locations, Arnes Harbour, Gimli Harbour and Balsam Bay are slated to receive the treatment later this week.
The province is also asking boaters to help stop the spread of invasive aquatic species by:
- Cleaning, rinsing and inspecting all watercrafts
- Draining on board tanks and buckets
- Pressure-washing watercraft and accessories with very hot water (50 degrees celcius)
- Drying in the hot sun for at least five days
- Disposing of any unwanted bait in trash, dumping bait water on land.
To report a sighting of an invasive aquatic species, call the provincial hotline at 1-877-867-2470
