Clear Lake to be monitored for invasive species as precaution, Parks Canada says

Parks Canada said this doesn't mean zebra mussels have been found in the park, but it is an early warning sign.

Monitoring and testing for invasive species in Clear Lake is ramping up, Parks Canada says.

Beginning Monday, Riding Mountain National Park staff will be working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada as well as the province on increased testing, after a positive test for zebra mussel enivronmental DNA came back in late January.

Parks Canada said this doesn’t mean zebra mussels have been found in the park, and that there are multiple ways the DNA could show up without physical mussels being present — but it is an early warning sign.

Visitors to the park are being asked to stay away from research activities — including a temporary lab building to be erected at Boat Cove — while scientific monitoring is taking place.