Missoula County Commissioners pose with the Clearwater Junction Watercraft Inspection Station staff members, partnering agency representatives and community members outside the station Monday, Aug. 2 as part of Watercraft Inspector Appreciation Week.
Bill Pfeiffer, Montana Trout Unlimited outreach coordinator, explains to Missoula County Commissioners the aquatic invasive species inspection process that vehicles undergo when they visit the Clearwater Junction Watercraft Inspection Station.
Inspection Station Supervisor Lindsey Bona-Eggeman explains to visitors the operations of Clearwater Junction Watercraft Inspection Station during Watercraft Inspector Appreciation Week.
CLEARWATER - Missoula County Commissioners and partnered agencies recognized employees at the Clearwater Junction Watercraft Inspection Station Monday, Aug. 2 as part of the statewide Watercraft Inspector Appreciation Week.
County staff praised the station staff for their success at preventing aquatic invasive species from spreading in Montana's waters.
"Inspection Station Supervisor Lindsey Bona-Eggeman and her team have done an outstanding job of being the first line of defense for our Missoula County waters," said Weed District Manager Bryce Christiaens in a press release. "Their work sets the bar for teams across the state. We are fortunate to have such dedicated inspectors."
Bona-Eggeman commended her staff members on their work.
"This station wouldn't work without you guys," she said. "You are all super awesome people who've made this year go really easily. ... You guys are very much easygoing and great inspectors and you have an important and difficult job."
Watercraft inspectors check all watercraft traveling on Highway 200. The station is meant to protect Blackfoot, Clearwater, Swan, Flathead and Upper Columbia watersheds from invasive species. It was established in 2010 and contracted by Missoula County Weed District in 2017. Every year it operates dawn to dusk from April to October and employs between 10-15 seasonal staff members.
All watercraft are required to go through an open station even if they have been approved by another one in the state. Law enforcement may be notified of vehicles passing by a station while carrying watercraft. This often results in the driver being encouraged to return to the station.
According to a press release, this year Montana's 20-plus watercraft inspection stations have seen more traffic and intercepted a "record number" 37 zebra/quagga mussel-fouled boats, surpassing the 35 they intercepted in 2020. The Clearwater Junction station is the busiest in the state and has inspected 14,300 watercraft from all 52 states this season. Inspectors have found 2,545 high-risk boats but none that were mussel-fouled. In second was Ravalli's station with 7,700 inspections.
Stakeholders and members of the public are encouraged to visit the station throughout the week to thank the inspectors for their work. Visitors are invited to take a picture and share their appreciation on social media by tagging @ProtectOurWatersMonatana and using the hashtags #LoveYourBoatInspector and #ProtectOurWatersMontana.
More information about Montana's Watercraft Inspection Program is at https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/aquatic-invasive-species.
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