SHAWANO COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – An effort continues to help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species in waterways around the Great Lakes.
At the Shawano Lake County Park Boat Landing, conservationists search for unwanted animals like zebra mussels.
“Zebra mussels are specifically very prominent in Shawano Lake. And they can attach to weeds. It can attach to your boat,” said Kori Halstead, Waterways Association of Menominee and Shawano Counties AIS Coordinator.
And weedy plants, like Eurasian water milfoil.
“They can actually form pretty dense, mats of weeds along the lake, and can be very hard to boat through, or recreate through, whatever it is. So that can cause really big problems for our native plants, and that’s what we don’t want,” said Halstead.
The Waterways Association of Menominee and Shawano Counties members say some aquatic invaders are very tiny.
“There’s tons of species out there that we can’t see with our eyes, and we’re not sure if we’re transporting them. That’s why the best practice is to drain everything before we go from lake to lake,” said Grace Eide, Waterways Association of Menominee and Shawano Counties Watershed Conservation Coordinator.
Inspect. Remove. Drain. The three words describe the 2024 Clean Boats, Clean Waters Landing Blitz campaign.
“Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the moment. It’s the Fourth of July, Fourth of July weekend, coming up. And so with it being so busy, sometimes it’s hard to remember to check all the places that need to be checked for your boat,” said Halstead.
Shawano Lake County Park provides a boat washing station too.
“Sometimes it can be a little hard to remember. But that’s why we’re here, trying to tell them, and educate them, and make sure they remember,” she said.
The Landing Blitz wrapped up on Saturday. But advocates say the message should be followed throughout the summer.
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