Boaters Urged to ‘Clean, Drain and Dry’ to Stop the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
June 30, 2025
Media Contact: TPWD News, Business Hours, 512-389-8030
AUSTIN – The Fourth of July holiday provides numerous opportunities for Texans throughout the state to enjoy the summer sun on the water. During the holiday festivities, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) urges boaters and paddlers to do their part to protect Texas lakes from aquatic invasive species during the heart of boating season.
“While we want everyone to have a great time, we also want to avoid giving harmful invasive species free rides to new lakes,” said Brian Van Zee, TPWD Inland Fisheries regional director. “The best way to prevent the spread of many aquatic invasive species and protect fishing and other recreation for everyone is to take just a few minutes to clean, drain and dry your boats and equipment every time you visit any lake.”
In addition to helping prevent harm to aquatic ecosystems, water infrastructure and the recreational experience at lakes, boaters should clean, drain and dry their boat –it’s the law. Transporting prohibited aquatic invasive species in Texas is illegal. Boaters must drain all water — which could contain microscopic invasive species larvae that can’t be seen with the naked eye — from their boat and onboard receptacles, including bait buckets, before leaving or approaching a body of fresh water. They must also remove all invasive plants from the boat and trailer before leaving a lake.
Two of the biggest threats to Texas lakes, giant salvinia and zebra mussels, continue to spread to new areas in Texas. In addition, boaters can introduce or spread other highly invasive species, including water hyacinth, crested and yellow floating heart and quagga mussels—or others not yet found in Texas.
Giant salvinia, a highly invasive, free-floating aquatic fern that can double its coverage area in a week, can produce thick surface mats that impact the ecosystem and aquatic life and make fishing, boating, swimming and other water recreation nearly impossible.
Giant salvinia is currently present on 26 East Texas lakes and numerous rivers, creeks and marshes between Houston and Beaumont. While TPWD efforts have kept giant salvinia from limiting angling or boating access in Texas public waters, they could still hitchhike from one lake to another on a boat, trailer or other equipment.
“There’s no doubt Texans love their lakes, but we ask everyone to take action to help protect them,” said John Findeisen, TPWD aquatic habitat enhancement team lead. “It only takes a tiny fragment of an invasive plant to create a problem in a new lake and preventing aquatic invasive species introductions avoids costly, long-term efforts to manage these species once they become established in a lake. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure — it only takes a small amount of our time as responsible boaters to clean, drain and dry our boats and equipment to prevent new introductions of aquatic invasive species.”
Zebra mussels, a non-native shellfish that attaches to hard surfaces, pose a significant threat to our lakes and our economy. These invasive mussels cause costly damage to boats and infrastructure for water supply and control, alter lake ecosystems and cause harm to native aquatic life. They also litter shorelines with hazardous, sharp shells that impact lakefront recreation.
Zebra mussels are now found in 38 Texas lakes across seven river basins, as well as in reaches downstream of infested lakes. TPWD and partners monitor numerous at-risk lakes around the state for early detection of zebra and closely related quagga mussels. Once they’ve been introduced and established in a lake, nothing can be done to control or eradicate them.
“Zebra mussels and quagga mussels can be attached to boats or even carried by anchors or plants clinging to boats,” said Monica McGarrity, TPWD senior scientist for aquatic invasive species. “Microscopic zebra mussel larvae can also be transported in residual water in the boat. Taking just a few minutes to clean, drain and dry boats can make a huge difference in our efforts to prevent further spread of this highly damaging species and harm to Texas lakes.”
TPWD urges boaters to follow these three simple but crucial steps to clean, drain and dry boats and gear before traveling from lake to lake: remove plants, mud and debris; drain all water from the boat and gear; and, once back home, open compartments and allow everything to dry completely for at least a week, if possible. Protect the lakes you love in our great state—it’s what Texans do!
If a boat or other equipment has been stored in the water at a lake with invasive mussels, it is likely infested and poses an extremely high risk for transporting these invasive species to a new lake. Before moving the boat, call TPWD at (512) 389-4848 for guidance.
For more information on how to properly clean, drain and dry boats and equipment, visit the TPWD YouTube channel for a short instructional video. To learn more about zebra mussels and other invasive species in Texas, visit tpwd.texas.gov/StopInvasives.
TPWD and partners monitor for invasive species in Texas lakes, but anyone who spots them on boats, trailers or equipment that is being moved can help prevent new introductions by reporting the sighting to TPWD at (512) 389-4848. Anyone who finds invasive species such as zebra mussels in lakes where they haven’t been found before can help identify new introductions by emailing photos and location information to aquaticinvasives@tpwd.texas.gov.