 Labor Day weekend is coming, and many of us will be enjoying some time out on the water. Please remember to take the time for these simple steps to protect the lakes you love.
Always
clean, drain and dry your boat, trailer and
gear before traveling from lake to lake. You
have an important role to play in protecting the lakes we love from zebra mussels and other invasive species. It's important to take these steps every time you boat because you can't always tell if a
lake is infested with invasive species that can hitchhike on your boat or gear and infest another lake.
Do
you store your boat in the water on a lake with zebra mussels? If so, zebra mussels have very likely attached to your boat boat—even if you can’t see them. Before moving your boat
to another lake, call our 24/7 hotline at (512) 389-4848 for guidance.
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Have you found zebra mussels?
Please report any new sightings, and if possible, take a picture of the zebra mussel and record its GPS location.
FAQ: They're just going to spread downstream, so what's the point?
Although zebra mussels can spread downstream in the same river basin, they only move overland on boats, so prevention is still the only way to prevent their spread upstream and to other river basins. The longer we can stave off new infestations, the longer we can prevent recreational impacts and costly impacts to power and water supply infrastructure.
Right now, only 14 Texas lakes in 5 river basins can
be classified as fully infested (has a reproducing population) and 6 lakes are
classified as positive (have been detected multiple times) with zebra mussels, both infested
and positive lakes should be treated as high risk for the potential to
transport zebra mussels to another lake. Visit our website to view a map and learn more.
There are still many water bodies in Texas that
do not have zebra mussels, so it is critical to clean, drain, and dry your boat, trailer and gear every time you travel from lake to lake. If you find zebra mussels on a boat or notice an infested boat being moved, notify TPWD by calling our 24/7 hotline at (512) 389-4848. Let’s work together to protect the lakes we love!
TPWD's 24/7 Hotline
Call us for coordination on infested boats:
Law Enforcement Hotline, (512) 389-4848
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