The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and City of Austin announced today that zebra mussels have been found in Lake Austin. This follows the discovery of zebra mussels in Lake Travis in June.

The spread of zebra mussels to Lake Austin is disappointing, but not unexpected, given how easily zebra mussels can travel from lake to lake on boats or in water moved downstream through dams.

Zebra mussels are an invasive species that can clog water intakes and other infrastructure. As of now, there is no eradication method that is effective on a wide scale.

The discovery highlights the importance of doing everything we can to prevent zebra mussels from spreading.

• For boaters, that means cleaning, draining and drying boats before moving to a different lake.
• Owners of boats, boat ramps, marinas and infrastructure on Lake Travis and Lake Austin should inspect any assets in the water (pipes, boat hulls, etc.) at least monthly, and remove any attached zebra mussels. There are several ways to monitor for zebra mussels, including visually inspecting intakes or docks, or placing a zebra mussel settlement sampler in the water. Here are instructions on how to make your own sampler for less than $10.

For more information, visit lcra.org/zebramussels or download this fact sheet. If you have questions, please contact Bryan Cook, manager of Water Quality Protection, at [email protected] or 512-578-3258, or Lisa Benton, senior water quality coordinator, at [email protected] or 512-578-2151.