In a rare victory against invasive species, zebra mussels have been eradicated from Lake Waco in McLennan County north of Austin, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced last week.
The invasive mollusks first appeared in the lake, which is on the west side of Waco, in 2014. Department officials on Thursday said they had a chance to take quick action upon their discovery and that s what led to their eradication.
Zebra mussels, which are known to clog pipes and water intake systems and cling to boats and docks, were found on a boat ramp in the lake, which led to a survey of the water. A few zebra mussel larvae and 75 adult zebra mussels were spotted.