GUN BARREL CITY - Within the next couple of weeks expect to see signs of an anti-zebra mussel campaign taking shape around the lake. Tarrant Regional Water District officials assured Cedar Creek Lake Chamber of Commerce members in a special meeting on Aug. 16 that the lake would be unlikely to support a zebra mussel infestation, but municipal leaders responded afterwards that they plan to take no chances. Plans are underway to begin educating visitors and residents about the threat of Cedar Creek Lake being contaminated with zebra mussels if boats infested with the pests enter the waters here. "We're going to get it going quickly," said Gun Barrel City Councilman Curtis Webster, who is helping launch the campaign. "I've seen what it can do. It killed a lot of businesses around Lake Texoma." Gun Barrel City Mayor Paul Eaton agreed that city officials and other civic leaders view the need for an education campaign as critical."We're going to do all we can to prevent that from happening here," Eaton said. Concerns about the possibility of an infestation arose locally after Texas Parks & Wildlife Department officials announced in mid-July that zebra mussels were discovered breeding in Lake Ray Roberts north of Denton. It was the second lake in Texas to be infested, and the first one in the Trinity River basin. Zebra mussels, which originally were thought not to be able to survive in Texas lakes because of the heat, were discovered in Lake Texoma three years ago. The infestation has prevented the pumping of Lake Texoma waters for use in North Texas because they can clog water pipes, harm boats and motors and completely cover dock poles and other hard surfaces under water with their razor-sharp shells. Zebra mussels are suspension feeders that eat algae by filtering water and straining out edible material, according to TRWD brochures. A mature female zebra mussel can release up to one million eggs yearly. The species came from the Balkans, Poland and what is now Russia and were first discovered in a U.S. lake in Michigan in 1988. They now exist in 29 states and in 600 lakes or reservoirs in the United States. The pests can change the habitat in a lake by competing with bait fish such as shad for available forage, which in turn can affect the survival of game fish such as bass and catfish. Zebra mussels typically are spread to new lakes by boats and trailers that have been used in infested waters and transported to other lakes for use. Kathy W. Berek, director of special projects for TRWD, said the risk to Cedar Creek Lake is considered moderate now because of the lack of algae and the high temperatures. But she acknowledged that zebra mussels appear to be adapting to climates in light of their surprise discovery in Lake Texoma three years ago. "You're in better shape than many of the other lakes," Berek said. In comparison Lake Texoma is considered a high risk while Lake Palestine is considered a low risk. The factors taken into consideration in determining risk include levels of calcium, alkalinity, hardness, pH, dissolved oxygen and temperature. Buckley Butler, area manager for TRWD, said the key to combatting a potential zebra mussel infestation here is education. "We are trying to get the information out there," he said. Boats and trailers that are used in infested waters would be quickly cleaned by a pressure wash with hot soapy water, Water above 140 degrees will kill the pests. Boats should also be drained and allowed to dry. All compartments of a boat should be allowed to dry for a week before entering another body of water. Buckley noted that it is illegal to neglect cleaning of a boat after it has been in waters infested with zebra mussels. According to Texas Parks & Wildlife brochures, the possession or transportation of zebra mussels in Texas is a Class C misdemeanor for the first offense, punishable with a fine of up to $500. A second offense is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable with a fine of up to $2,000, a jail sentence of up to 180 days or both. Introducing zebra mussels into Texas public waters is a Class B misdemeanor. Violations can be reported to 800-792-4263. For information visit www.texasinvasives.org