AIS and your role protecting Montana waters

The Seeley Lake area is renowned for great boating, paddling and fishing opportunities. Every year visitors from across the US come and enjoy the nearly two dozen lakes and rivers here. With the increased visitation from tourists and their boats comes an increased risk of new Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) being introduced into our watersheds. AIS has become increasingly prevalent in the West and Montana has recently seen several outbreaks of non-native species which threaten our aquatic ecosystems.

Montana's multi-million-dollar AIS program is responsible for keeping organisms like Zebra and Quagga mussels at bay, which have debilitated other northern states like Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. When a waterbody is affected by these prolific mussels, the ecosystem is interrupted, infrastructure is damaged, boating and fishing opportunities decrease and it can cost millions to remedy, though there is no way to rid a waterbody of these mussels once established.

This year already, 14 mussel-fouled boats have been identified at check stations statewide and 1,430 high-risk boats have been inspected. When mussel-fouled boats are identified, the decontamination process begins: boats are flushed with hot water and often locked for a 30-day quarantine to ensure even the smallest veliger (mussel larvae) is eliminated.

While most people think primarily of mussels, there are many other aquatic invasive species of which to be aware. In Montana, specifically, there are non-native species of frogs, plants, clams, fish and snails. Recently, Billings' Lake Elmo was found to have an invasive species of clam commonly used in aquariums, the Asiatic or Golden Clam. More locally, Faucet Snails have been identified in Lake Upsata and Fragrant Waterlily is found in several waterbodies near Seeley including: Blanchard, Clearwater, Elbow, Harpers, Upsata, Browns, Seeley, Placid, Salmon, Inez, Alva and Holland lakes.

So, what can you do to protect our local waters? While it may seem like a monumental task, preventing new AIS introductions can be done at the individual level.

• Clean, drain and dry your boats and other non-motorized watercraft like kayaks and paddleboards.

• Ensure that no standing water is left behind after a day on the lake and visually inspect the water intake(s) and motors of your boats to make sure no aquatic vegetation has hitched a ride. Remember to remove the plug and drop the motor before driving away from the boat ramp.

• While traveling across the state, stop at all AIS check stations you encounter. Not sure if you'll come across one on your journey? Check out the FWP website for a map of all inspection stations across the state. Failure to stop may result in fines.

• Plan to get all watercraft inspected before launching in the Flathead Basin or if you are traveling west over the Continental Divide. All watercraft used out of state must be inspected when returning to Montana.

• Make sure plants grown in water gardens or near shorelines are native species appropriate for this area.

For more information visit CleanDrainDryMT.com.