AUSTIN, Texas - The discovery of zebra mussels at Lake Austin is the latest indication that the invasive species is continuing to spread along Texas waterways, state scientists said.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials said mussels were found Aug. 9 on flotation devices and a barge in the 1,589-acre reservoir on the lower Colorado River.

It's not clear if the mussels were transported to the lake by boat or if they spread downriver toward the state capital from Lake Travis.

Related: Zebra mussels found in Lake Travis

The department previously announced that biologists on June 22 confirmed zebra mussels in Lake Travis, where they were found on several boats.

"Both Lake Austin and Lake Travis have a lot of boating traffic and a lot of use," Inland Fisheries regional director Brian Van Zee said. "We really need all boaters to be diligent in their clean, drain and dry efforts. Before leaving a lake, all boaters need to remove their drain plugs and be sure to pump as much water out of the ballast tanks, livewells and bilges, as possible because zebra mussel larvae can survive in very little water."

Users of downstream reservoir Lady Bird Lake should also take care to clean, drain and dry kayaks, stand up paddleboards, and properly clean any other equipment that comes into contact with the lake before putting them into another water body, officials said.

Related: Zebra mussels discovered in Canyon Lake

Zebra mussels, which can clog water pipes, damage boat motors and affect other aquatic life, were first found in Texas in 2009 at Lake Texoma, spanning Texas and Oklahoma.

About a dozen Texas lakes, including Canyon Lake, are now infested. Mussels were found at the lake in June.

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