Giant Salvinia leaves more footprints in East Texas — boaters and duck hunters encouraged to clean up their act.

Story and Photography by Matt Williams

Like an aquatic monster with no apparent agenda other than quietly taking a passel of water bodies hostage, giant salvinia continues to sneak its way across eastern Texas. It doesn’t discriminate against size, either. Large or small, no freshwater reservoir, river or stream in these parts is “salvinia proof.”
Giant salvinia is an invasive, free-floating fern native to South America that can spread incredibly quick. Left unchecked under the right conditions, the plant can choke off access and block out sunlight critical to a watery ecosystem.
Experts believe it was brought to the United States on cargo vessels carrying tainted shipments of tropical plants or fish. It was likely introduced to public waters when someone dumped a contaminated fish aquarium into a lake, or when a water garden or pond overflowed, spilled into a creek and subsequently drained into a watershed.
The plant was first discovered in Texas in the late 1990s on Toledo Bend and it has since invaded a long list of East Texas lakes that seems to grow larger every year. It has also been found in Louisiana and several other southern states.
The Newest Footprints
Texas infestations date back for years on lakes Caddo, Fork, Martin Creek, Murvaul, Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Naconiche. It also has a history on Lake O’ the Pines, Palestine, Wright Patman, Gilmer, Texana, Sheldon, Brandy Branch and Welsh.

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