Editor's note: This editorial was originally published on Dec. 12, 2023.

It appears South Dakota’s battle against invasive zebra mussels in its waterways is turning a bit accusatory.

A nonprofit organization announced Dec. 11 that it’s commissioning a study to determine what kind of environmental and economic damage the mussels could potentially inflict on South Dakota and what needs to be done to protect the state’s waterways.

According to a South Dakota Searchlight story published in the Dec. 12 edition of the Press & Dakotan, the South Dakota Lakes and Streams Association, based in Sioux Falls, has announced the $107,000 study that will give lawmakers in Pierre the facts they need to draw up plans of action.

In making the announcement, SDLSA chided state officials for their response to date.

“(South Dakota has been) throwing up its hands in capitulation,” said Deb Soholt, a former state senator and an SDLSA board member. “… We believe it is important to conduct the needed research to understand the economic impact, so policymakers have the necessary information to do both containment and mitigation.”

Zebra mussels are tiny, invasive mollusks that most likely arrived in this nation by way of the Great Lakes in the 1980s in the form of ballast water discharged by large European ships, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Once introduced into a water body, zebra mussels impact ecosystems by filtering out algae that native aquatic species feed on, as well as clog up water intakes and incapacitate native mussels.

The Yankton area is well aware of the zebra mussel issue, as they have been found in both Lewis & Clark Lake and Lake Yankton. Although very small, they are also very sharp and can cause lacerations on the unprotected feet of swimmers. They also literally encrust objects such as boats and buoys. Because they are so tiny, they can be accidentally transported quite easily.

The SDLSA’s criticism of the state’s response was answered in the Searchlight story by Nick Harrington — communications manager for the state Department of Game, Fish and Parks — who said the state has worked to slow the spread of zebra mussels and has undertaken a vigorous educational campaign for boaters and fishermen to drain and dry their boats whenever they’re on the water and to inspect their boats before and after loading them.

On this point, we can confirm that the GFP, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, have taken an aggressive approach in promoting these measures. The signage is everywhere in the Lewis & Clark Recreation Area, for example, so the message is hard to miss.

Are these measures enough?

More specifically, are we accepting the zebra mussels as an unfortunate reality without taking more aggressive action?

Which would lead to the million-dollar question: What would that action be?

In terms of raising awareness, the SDLSA study, which is being conducted at the University of South Dakota in partnership with South Dakota State University, is a good idea. To understand the problem, producing an economic measure of the possible impacts would be beneficial in creating a more relatable perspective.

The SDLSA study is receiving input from Nanette Nelson, a research economist with the University of Montana, whose 2019 study forecast that an infestation of zebra mussels in all Montana waterways could result in $122 million in mitigation expenses, $112 million in lost revenue and nearly a half-billion dollars in lost property value.

That is a sobering take to bring to the issue in this state.

If the study leads to more steps and new approaches in tackling this issue, it would be money well spent.