Corps to drop Pomme de Terre level to kill zebra mussels

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to lower the level of Pomme de Terre Lake to prevent an invasion of zebra mussels.

The corps says it will drop the level of the lake 3 feet as soon as ice melts, possibly within the next few days.

Corps officials say zebra mussels were found on a dock that was brought to the lake from Lake of the Ozarks in December. Zebra mussels are known to clog power plant intakes, damage boats and disrupt lake food chains.

The Springfield News-Leader reports the corps wants to act before the lake warms up because zebra mussels begin reproducing when water temperatures reach 50 degrees.

A chemical will be used on three-quarters of an acre of water to kill the zebra mussels.

This story was originally published January 28, 2015 at 9:36 AM with the headline "Corps to drop Pomme de Terre level to kill zebra mussels."