The Manitoba government is taking another step in its battle against zebra mussels at the St. Malo Reservoir. A partial drawdown of the reservoir began last week and is still underway, according to the province’s Environment and Climate Change Water Stewardship branch.

The move is part of an ongoing response plan to suppress the invasive species, which were first detected in the reservoir last year. Officials had hoped to start treatment in the fall of 2024, but high-water inflows and cold weather forced them to postpone.

Then this fall, the province began lowering the reservoir. The draining began last week, on September 22, 2025.

The plan is to bring the water level down about three metres, roughly 10 feet, below full supply. Once that level is reached, water will be held steady for o

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