ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The ‘rst live zebra mussel documented in Texas was found in Lake Texoma on April 3, 2009. The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) has an inter-basin water transfer permit to pump water from Lake Texoma and discharge it into West Prong Sister Grove Creek, atributary of Lavon Lake that forms part of the headwaters of the Trinity River. Only 4 months after zebra mussels were found in Lake Texoma Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff found zebra mussels in West Prong Sister Grove Creek. NTMWD discontinued pumping Lake Texoma water into the creek and in 2010 TPWD used KCl treatments in an effort to eradicate zebra mussels from West Prong Sister Grove Creek and help prevent them from spreading through the Trinity River basin. Although KCl treatmentswere unsuccessful, no young mussels have been observed in the creek since pumping from Lake Texoma stopped. However, zebra mussels have now been found in seven public water bodies including Lakes Belton, Bridgeport, Lavon, Lewisville, Ray Roberts, and Texoma. In 2013, the Texas Legislature gave TPWD additional rule-making authority to require persons leaving or approaching public water to drain from vessels all water resulting from immersion in public water (except salt water), and authority to conduct inspections for compliance.
