The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources confirmed the presence of the invasive algae starry stonewort in four more lakes, including three in Northern Minnesota.
Newly identified infected lakes are Garfield Lake near Laporte in Hubbard County; Gull Lake, 1 mile west of Tenstrike in Beltrami County; Three Island Lake near Turtle River in Beltrami County; and Two Rivers Lake near Holdingford in Stearns County.
Starry stonewort was found in these lakes during the recent "Starry Trek" event in early August, in which county and state staff and volunteers searched lakes for starry stonewort and other aquatic invasive species. Starry Trek is an annual statewide volunteer event coordinated by the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center at the University of Minnesota.
A Hubbard County environmental specialist found starry stonewort near the public access in Garfield Lake during the Starry Trek event, while event volunteers found starry stonewort at the public accesses of Gull Lake and Three Island Lake. At Two Rivers Lake, DNR invasive species specialists conducted a survey after starry stonewort was reported during the Starry Trek event and found the invasive algae across about 1.5 acres of the lake near the public access and adjacent shoreline.
At all locations, DNR aquatic invasive species specialists will conduct additional surveys to determine the extent of starry stonewort and will work with local entities at all lakes to assess potential management options.
Starry stonewort is usually identified by the star-shaped white bulb-like structures on the plant for which it is named. These bulbils typically become visible in late summer. People can find more information about how to identify starry stonewort on the DNR website.
Since it was first found in Minnesota in 2015, starry stonewort has been confirmed in 35 water bodies in the state. Starry stonewort can form dense mats, which can interfere with recreational uses of a lake and compete with native plants. The algae primarily spreads when fragments have not been properly cleaned from water-related equipment.
Starry stonewort has never been eradicated from any U.S. lake or river, but treatment or careful removal from waterbodies can help reduce the risk of spread and relieve associated nuisance impacts. Early detection is key to effective management.
Whether a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:
- Clean watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species
- Drain all water and leave drain plugs out during transport
- Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
- Never release bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters
- Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days before moving them from one waterbody to another
These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:
- Decontaminate watercraft and equipment — find free stations on the courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website
- Spray watercraft and equipment with high-pressure water or rinse with water if high-pressure water is not available
- Dry watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another waterbody
People are asked to contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist if they think they have found starry stonewort or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.