Water returns to Highline Lake after zebra mussel contamination and cleanup

Another West Texas lake now infested with zebra mussels

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has designated Lake Nasworthy as “infested” with zebra mussels. It's the 34th Texas lake infested by this mollusk.

Tiny zebra mussels forced Colorado to completely drain a lake. Now, it's time to refill it.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials started refilling Highline Lake on Monday after a long battle with a tiny invader — the zebra mussel — forced the agency to drain it completely in November. Colorado has worked for years to keep these rapidly reproducing mussels from settling into the state. But in 2022, Highline Lake, northwest of Grand Junction, became the first body of water in Colorado to be classified as infested after state staff found…

TPWD: Lake Nasworthy 'infested' with invasive species

SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has designated Lake Nasworthy as "infested" with invasive zebra mussels. According to TPWD, the designation "signifies there is an established reproducing population present in the lake." The department stated that it confirmed the presence of zebra mussel larvae in mid-March 2025 through plankton samples collected in November 2024 during the mussels' fall spawn…

Water returns to Highline Lake after zebra mussel contamination and cleanup

The headgates are open and water is returning to Highline Lake in the state park located outside of Grand Junction.  The lake — fed by the Government Highline Canal and connected to the Colorado River — was drained in November after a years-long battle against invasive zebra mussels. Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced that it began refilling the lake on March 31.  The first adult zebra mussel was found in the lake in 2022, marking the first d…

Proposed cut in local aid to prevent aquatic invasive species sparks fears of more infested lakes

For the past decade, Minnesota has distributed about $10 million a year to counties for aquatic invasive species prevention. Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed budget reduced that amount by 50 percent. Some lake advocates worry cutting the funding could potentially lead to more infested waters.

TPWD: Lake Nasworthy Infested with Invasive Zebra Mussels

AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has designated Lake Nasworthy in San Angelo as “infested” with invasive zebra mussels. This designation signifies there is an established reproducing population present in the lake. TPWD confirmed the presence of zebra mussel larvae (veligers) in mid-March from plankton samples that were collected in November 2024 during the mussels’ fall spawning period. Zebra mussel larvae were detected in s…