CANYON LAKE, Texas — State officials say zebra mussels have been found in the Guadalupe River Basin including Canyon Lake.
It's the farthest south the invasive species has been spotted in Texas.
Zebra mussels clog pipes, cling to boats and endanger native aquatic life.
Courtesy/Texas Water Development Board
RELATED | Dogs Are Latest Weapon in Zebra Mussel Control
Texas Parks and Wildlife says employees at Canyon Lake Marina spotted the mussels while working on a boat.
Officials have been trying to stop the spread of zebra mussels through Texas lakes.
Texas Parks and Wildlife asks all boaters to clean, drain and completely dry their boats after removing them from an infected lake.
Otherwise, the zebra mussels' larvae can be carried from one lake to the next.
Also, to answer a burning question, can you eat them? The United States Geological Survey says it's not recommended they be eaten by people.
Statement from EattheInvaders.org:
Most clams and mussels are edible, but that does not mean they taste good! Many species and fish and ducks eat zebra mussels, so they are not harmful in that sense.
Zebra mussels are so small and do not have much in the way of “meat” inside them, you would have to be pretty hungry to want to eat them.
However, because they are filter feeders, they can accumulate pollutants in their tissues that may not be healthy for people to consume.
To learn more about zebra mussels, visit texasinvasives.org/zebramussels.