So I have a question about zebra mussels. I recently fished Lake Texoma and found out they are infested with Zebra Mussels. What is the proper cleaning of the boat. All I find is clean , drain and dry boat. My normal routine is when I come out of the lake I let the motor all the way down and let drain while I wipe the boat down. But is that enough or does that leave any in the cooling tubes? Do I need to flush the motor ? Then on the live well , I always drain the live well and when we get home I wash and clean the live well. But is that good enough ? I know I have a pump that will pump out of the live well and pump back into the lake , in which I used on Texoma. Is just running water in there enough to clean ? What else should I do. In the Texas panhandle we don't have any Zebra Mussels and I don't want to spread. I fished Texoma on Saturday 10/26. It has been out of the water since then , except ice storm we had this week. Just wanted to fish this weekend and wanted to make sure it is clean before I head to the lake. TIA , Jeremy

Zebra mussels?! Is this just a problem in one region of TX or is it spreading?

The zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) is a problem in much of the United States. The mussel is native to the Caspian, Azov, and Black Seas. It was first found in the Great Lakes Region of the United States in the 1980s. In Texas the zebra mussel has infested at least 17 lakes in 5 river basins but there are more waterbodies showing positive samples. There are also several lakes that are suspect of having mussels. These mussels are a huge problem for both infrastructure and the aquatic health of a waterbody.

Here is the posted status from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Page:

Infested Lakes

Seventeen Texas lakes in five river basins can be classified as fully infested with zebra mussels, meaning the water body has an established, reproducing population: Austin, Belton, Bridgeport, Canyon, Dean Gilbert (a 45-acre Community Fishing Lake in Sherman), Eagle Mountain, Georgetown, Lady Bird, Lewisville, Livingston, Lyndon B. Johnson, Pflugerville, Randell (local Denison access only), Ray Roberts, Stillhouse Hollow, Texoma, and Travis.

Positive Lakes

Zebra mussels or their larvae have been detected on more than one occasion in Lakes Dunlap, Fishing Hole, Granger, Grapevine, Lavon, McQueeney, Placid, Richland Chambers, Walter E. Long, Waco, and Worth. So far there is no evidence of a reproducing population in these lakes. River reaches downstream of infested lakes, including portions of the Colorado, Guadalupe, Lampasas, Leon, Little, Red, and Trinity rivers, are also positive for zebra mussels.

Suspect Lakes

Zebra mussels or their larvae have been found once in recent years in lakes Fork, O.H. Ivie, and Ray Hubbard.

Inconclusive Lakes

Zebra mussel DNA or an unverified suspect organism has been found in several Texas lakes in the past year.

Just drain you boat and livewells.

Zebra are also transported by birds and heavy rains, this is just another scare tactic played upon the general public by TPWD.

Taxpayers have already spent a great deal of money dealing with zebra mussels, including removing pumps and cleaning intake structures. The problem is quickly getting worse. In the Great Lakes area clean up and repair costs are estimated at $3.1 billion dollars in a 10 year period. Draining and drying boats is a stop-gap measure. Unfortunately, based on the biology of the mussels, attempting to drain and dry boats will probably not change the final outcome. However, if you inadvertently are found to transport zebra mussels, an invasive species, you can receive a fine of $25 to $500 and more in restitution.