FORT PHANTOM HILL LAKE ZEBRA MUSSEL STATUS ELEVATED TO 'INFESTED'

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 1 -- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issued the following news release:

Following additional monitoring, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has determined that the invasive zebra mussel population status in Fort Phantom Hill, near Abilene, should be elevated to fully 'infested.'

This designation signifies that an established, reproducing population of these invasive mussels is now confirmed in the lake. The waterbody initially received a "positive" designation in Sept. 2025 after initial detections.

In July of 2026, zebra mussel larvae were found in plankton samples collected from multiple sites around the lake in the spring and verified with DNA lab analysis. Upon detection of suspect zebra mussel la...