Lone Zebra Mussel Found in Lake Texoma

April 21, 2009
AUSTIN - For the fifth time in four years, an alert citizen has assisted
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Oklahoma Department of
Wildlife Conservation (ODWC) in their efforts to keep zebra mussels from
invading Lake Texoma.
On April 3 Brent Taylor, an employee of a private landowner on the south
shore of Lake Texoma, reported to TPWD Inland Fisheries biologist Bruce
Hysmith (AFS member, '69) that he had found a suspected zebra mussel on a
boathouse communication line under water.
The find marks the first time the dangerous exotic species has been found
living in Lake Texoma. It is known to occur at several other sites in
Oklahoma.
TPWD personnel confirmed the identification and inspected the boathouse but
found no additional specimens.
Hysmith immediately notified the local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Tishomingo, Oklahoma; local game wardens
and area marinas to be on the alert.
In 2006, Texas appeared to dodge a bullet when Tim Ray, an employee of a
marina in Pottsboro, found zebra mussels on a boat that had been brought
from Wisconsin. In 2007 Ray again found zebra mussels on a boat from the
Ohio River. Both boats were decontaminated before being put into the water.
In 2008 Marty Ulmer, an employee of a Denison marina, found zebra mussels on
a boat arriving from Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. In 2009 Bobby Vaughn, an
employee of another Denison marina, found zebra mussels on yet another boat
from Wisconsin. Both boats were decontaminated prior to launching into Lake
Texoma.
In all these instances the individuals stated that they were previously
aware of the threat from zebra mussels and made a practice of watching out
for them.
Zebra mussels are native to Asia and were first found in the United States
in 1988. They have since spread to 24 states from Michigan to West Virginia
to Oklahoma to California.
The aquatic invaders are about 5/8-inch long and usually have striped
shells. They can live for several days out of water and can be dispersed
overland by trailered boats, though their main method of spread is by
free-floating larvae.
Zebra mussels can multiply rapidly to the point of clogging water treatment
plant intake pipes, fouling boat bottoms and possibly depleting food sources
that fish and other aquatic species depend on.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) nonindigeous aquatic species web site
calls zebra mussels "one of the most important biological invasions into
North America." That site contains photographs and information that can be
used to identify the organisms.
Experts say public education is the key with problems like zebra mussels.
Only through the vigilance of people like Taylor and Ray and the thousands
of anglers and boaters on the water daily can the threat from invasive
aquatic species be stymied.
"Biologists and game wardens can't be everywhere," said Phil Durocher,
director of TPWD's Inland Fisheries Division (AFS member, '82). "We need all
anglers, boaters and other recreational users of our lakes to watch for
zebra mussels and contact their local biologist, game warden or lake
controlling authority if they think they've found one."
"Texas and Oklahoma are working jointly on this issue because of the danger
these invaders could spread to other water bodies," said Barry Bolton, Chief
of Fisheries for ODWC. "We are asking our recreational users to be vigilant
not just on Lake Texoma but on other lakes in Texas and Oklahoma as well."
If you find a suspected zebra mussel, here are the numbers to call:
In Texas-(800) 792-4263
In Oklahoma-(405) 521-3721