Lake, campground in Riding Mountain National Park closed after discovery of zebra mussel DNA

Parks Canada has closed a lake and campground in Riding Mountain National Park to the public after DNA evidence of zebra mussels was found in water samples taken this summer and fall.

Parks Canada said while live zebra mussels haven't been found in the park, environmental DNA — described as "microscopic genetic traces that an organism leaves behind as it moves through an environment" — has been found there.

"Parks Canada takes this matter seriously and we are vigilant in our efforts to prevent the introduction of zebra mussels to waters in Riding Mountain National Park," the release read.

"Staff will continue to monitor the situation closely and take action if a positive result is found."

The invasive species is a concern because if they spread, zebra mussels will choke out everything else in a lake because they reproduce so quickly, with millions of mussels forming carpets on the bottoms of boats and along lake bottoms, biologists say.

Zebra mussels were first detected in Manitoba in Lake Winnipeg in 2013 and are now well-established in three Manitoba waterways. They were detected in the Red River and Cedar Lake in 2015, according to the Manitoba government.

Parks Canada said the Whirlpool Lake closure also includes canoers and kayakers.

Further testing will be conducted in summer 2018 in Riding Mountain National Park, Parks Canada said.