Invasive Giant Salvinia was recently found in the Chaney
Branch of Lake Fork and in a small cove located west of the dam. The Giant
Salvinia weed chokes out native vegetation, shades waters and reduces the
oxygen level needed for fish. The Sabine River Authority (SBA) and the TPWD
physically removed Salvinia plants and have isolated the infested area with a floating
boom. TPWD will be spraying the infected area with a chemical treatment. The SBA
has also closed the Chaney Point South and Secret Haven boat ramps and is
warning boaters to stay away from the above infested areas. Please clean your
boat when leaving any Texas water body, and please read the below paragraphs for
more information on invasive species.
Invasive Giant Salvinia Close-Up
Giant Salvinia Adjacent to Chaney Branch's Secret Haven Dock TPWD Copyright
Exotic and invasive fish
, shellfish,
and aquatic
plants are invading Texas’ rivers, lakes, ponds, and the Texas Gulf, and
are competing with Texas’ native species for food and space. A sampling of
these invasive species that are causing problems in Texas is listed here. The
invasive Giant
Salvinia, a popular aquarium plant, has been found in Texas in water bodies
in Friendswood, Alvin, Houston, League City, Channelview, and Mont Belvieu, and
has also been found in Caddo Lake, Sheldon Lake State Park, the Trinity River
National Wildlife Refuge, and Lake Fork. Giant Salvinia spreads rootless in
chains on water surfaces and chokes out native vegetation, shades waters and
reduces the oxygen level needed for fish. Report
all sightings of Giant Salvinia. The invasive Hydrilla plant has
invaded Lake Austin, and threatens recreation, navigation, and water intake
pipes. The city has stocked the lake with sterile Grass Carp which has reduced
the problem. The invasive Plecostomus (Sucker Fish) have also been found in
Texas’ water bodies. This is a popular aquarium fish which when released into
the wild multiplies fast, and grows large. Another invasive fish is the Lionfish. This fish
is also a popular aquarium fish. The fish has few predators and it feeds on
small crustaceans and small fish, including snapper and grouper young. Each
fish can spawn every four days and produce up to two million eggs a year. In
their natural habitat in the South Pacific, natural predators keep the Lionfish
population down, but in U.S. waters they have no natural predators. To date,
the invasive Lionfish has infected and threatened the waters of the U.S.
Atlantic Coast. More recently, invasive Lionfish have been found in the Flower
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Galveston. NOAA
researchers have concluded that the Lionfish can’t be eliminated by
conventional methods and the population will continue to grow. Zebra Mussels,
an invasive shellfish, have infested several Texas lakes. Zebra Mussels spread by
hitching rides on trailers and boats. They spread rapidly in water bodies and
damage boats by encrusting hulls, clogging the boats’ water systems, and
clogging air conditioners and heads. They cause navigation buoys to sink, and
damage city water supplies by colonizing inside water pipelines. They take over
habitats from other native species. Zebra Mussels have been found in Lakes
Texoma, Ray Roberts, Lewisville, Bridgeport, Lavon, and Belton. There have been
isolated infestation cases of them in Lake Ray Hubbard, Lake Grapevine, Lake
Fork, Lake Tawakoni, the Red River below Lake Texoma, the Elm Fork of the
Trinity River, and Sister Grove Creek. Each mussel can produce up to one
million invisible larvae.
On May 22, 2104, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission
approved a new
regulation requiring all boats operating on Texas’ public fresh waters be
drained before leaving or approaching a lake or river in order to help combat
the further spread of zebra mussels and other invasive species.”
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission has also
enacted regulations making it illegal for boaters to enter or leave North and
Central Texas water bodies without draining all water from their boats and
onboard receptacles including wells, ballast, and engine cooling water. Boaters
should remove all plants, animals, and mud from their equipment, boats and
trailers, and thoroughly wash everything, including crevices and hidden areas.
Boats and trailers should be allowed to completely dry before entering other
waters. If your boat has been in infested waters for extended periods of time,
clean it with high pressure water greater than 140 degrees before entering
other waters. Click for more
information. Fish Aquarium owners can do their part by not dumping aquarium
fish and aquarium waters into Texas’ water bodies, and by not flushing invasive
species down the commode.
SBA Removing Giant Salvinia From Lake Fork TPWD Copyright
Lake Fork Chaney Branch Map
