Clean
Remove all plants, mud, and debris from the boat, trailer, and gear before you leave the ramp.
Boating / Protect the water
Stop invasive species.
Tiny hitchhikers like zebra mussels, and plants like giant salvinia, spread from lake to lake on boats, trailers, and gear. They wreck boats, clog water systems, and harm fish - and there's a law about stopping them.
Clean, Drain, Dry
Drain
Empty all water - livewell, bilge, motor, and ballast - and keep the drain plug out until everything is dry.
Dry
Let everything dry for a week or more before launching in another lake, or wash it with hot, high-pressure, soapy water.
Don't move live bait
Don't move live fish or live bait in water from where you caught them. Personally caught bait can only be used in the water where you captured it.
The penalty
Carrying a harmful aquatic plant is illegal: a first offense is a fine of $25 to $500, and it climbs to as much as $2,000 (and possible jail time) for a repeat.
Keep going
Official sources
The drain-plug law and Clean, Drain, Dry come from TPWD. The list of lakes with zebra mussels changes - always check the live map.
- Data vintage:
- Invasive-species rules as reviewed June 2026
- Last reviewed:
- June 15, 2026
- TPWD Clean, Drain, Dry / Stop Invasives - The drain law and steps
- TPWD Protect the Water (zebra mussels & map) - The current list of affected lakes
Caution: The list of affected lakes changes constantly. The official TPWD map and rules are the final word.
Spot something that needs a Texas check?
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