MINNEAPOLIS — Zebra mussels have been found in Lake Hiawatha, but one state official predicts the invasive mollusks won’t thrive in the Minneapolis lake.

Waterways that flow through Lake Hiawatha were already infested, so officials knew it was only a matter of time before zebra mussels were found there as well.

Deb Pilger is a director with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. She said the finding in Lake Hiawatha raises the risk of infestation in the nearby Chain of Lakes.

But Pilger said the effect of infestation in Lake Hiawatha may be limited. She said the lake’s nutrients and plant life might limit the zebra mussels’ growth. She said only one of the lake’s 53 acres is considered suitable for high growth rates.