An underwater curtain installed to contain invasive zebra mussels in Clear Lake will be removed.
The curtain was dislodged by wind and waves two days after it was installed. A contractor finished installing the waterproof membrane, secured with weights at the lake bed, on Aug. 6.
“The curtain was damaged and is no longer an effective means of containment and cannot be repaired or replaced this fall. The private contractor that provided and installed the curtain will be responsible for its removal,” Parks Canada said in a news release Monday.
TIM SMITH / BRANDON SUN FILES
The damaged curtain, designed to contain zebra mussels, is no longer effective.
The federal government will continue “intensive monitoring” for zebra mussels until the lake, which is located in Riding Mountain National Park, freezes over.
“This monitoring will continue until ice forms and will help determine whether plans for a potential eradication or control treatment using potash are feasible,” the release said.
Potash is a molluscicide approved for use by Health Canada.
Temporary watercraft-management measures to prevent more zebra mussels from getting into Clear Lake remain in effect, and the main boat cove remains closed to public access. A clump of 48 live zebra mussels were found there in November — the first discovery of its kind in the national park.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca