EAST TEXAS (KLTV) – Texas Parks and Wildlife is warning boaters about two invasive species threatening East Texas waterways as residents head to the lake for Fourth of July weekend.
Giant salvinia and zebra mussels can attach to boats and trailers and spread from lake to lake without boaters knowing it, according to Monica McGarrity, senior scientist for aquatic invasive species with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Threats to water, wildlife and boaters
“They can damage boats, but they can also foul water infrastructure, causing costs for maintenance and mitigation,” McGarrity said. “They can compete with filter feeding aquatic species and alter the food web, harm those native mussels. And then also, you know, just when you have damage to your boat or you have sharp shells on the shoreline that affects human health and, you know, quality of life.”
McGarrity said zebra mussels are already established in more than a dozen Texas lakes, including Lake Livingston.
East Texas resident Doug Kelly said he has watched giant salvinia spread across East Texas lakes for years.
“The bigger issue is just the wildlife,” Kelly said. “The salvinia will choke out a cove and depletes the oxygen and it’s really not good for the fish.”
Clean, drain, dry
Texas Parks and Wildlife is urging boaters to follow three steps: clean, drain and dry.
“To make sure you’re not carrying anything in a bilge or a live well, make sure all those are empty and then they get dry before you go to another lake,” Kelly said.
Texas Parks and Wildlife also advises wearing water shoes near the lake, even for those not swimming. Zebra mussel shells are razor-sharp and can cause serious cuts.
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