Another Texas lake was designated as “fully infested” with zebra mussels, the invasive species that plagues Bell County reservoirs and other bodies of water around the state, officials announced.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department designated Lake Worth in Tarrant County on the Trinity River basin as “infested” with zebra mussels after sampling efforts, the agency said in a news release. Infested status signifies that there is an established, reproducing population of zebra mussels in the lake.
“This finding that Lake Worth is fully infested is not unexpected,” Raphael Brock, TPWD Inland Fisheries Dallas-Fort Worth biologist said in a news release. “There are two infested reservoirs upstream that can send zebra mussel larvae downstream to Lake Worth during high water events such as we’ve seen this spring to then settle in the lake. It is important for boaters to step up and follow TPWD guidelines and regulations to limit further spread to other reservoirs in the DFW area and other parts of the state.”
TPWD said district fisheries management staff conducted shoreline surveys for zebra mussels at Lake Worth in August. Staffers confirmed the presence of multiple size classes of zebra mussels, which indicated an established, reproducing population, and the mussels were fairly abundant and easy to find. As a result, the lake status will be upgraded from positive to fully infested, the agency said.
Zebra mussels were first found in the lake in 2016, when only a few, similarly sized settled mussels were discovered.
“Unfortunately, zebra mussels have now spread to 34 Texas lakes, with 28 fully infested, but there are far more lakes that still haven’t been invaded and are at risk,” Brian Van Zee, TPWD Inland Fisheries regional director, said. “Each boater taking steps to clean and drain their boat before leaving the lake and allowing compartments and gear to dry completely when they get home can make a big difference in protecting our Texas lakes.”
In June, the agency designated Lake Brownwood, Inks Lake and Medina Lake, in the Colorado and San Antonio River basins, as fully infested with invasive zebra mussels.
Infestations at Lake Belton and Stillhouse Hollow Lake — both outside Belton — were well established when they were discovered. The Lake Belton infestation, for example, likely occurred in 2012, but wasn’t discovered until September 2013, a TPWD investigation determined.
Texans who have stored their boats in the water at a lake with zebra mussels or purchased a boat stored on one of these lakes, it is likely infested with zebra mussels and poses an extremely high risk for moving this invasive species to another lake, TPWD said.
Before moving your boat to another lake, call TPWD at 512-389-4848 for guidance on decontamination.
Transporting prohibited invasive species in Texas is illegal and punishable with a fine of up to $500 per violation. All boaters are required to drain water from their boat and onboard receptacles, including bait buckets, before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water.
TPWD and its partners monitor for zebra mussels in Texas lakes, but anyone who finds them in lakes where they haven’t been found before should report them immediately by emailing photos and location information to AquaticInvasives@tpwd.texas.gov.
A status map showing all lakes where zebra mussels have been found in Texas can be viewed at tpwd.texas.gov/ZebraMussels.
To learn about zebra mussels, visit tpwd.texas.gov/StopInvasives.
