Boat inspections now mandatory

In a joint collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Fish Wildlife and Parks, it was decided last week that the inspection stations designed to prevent the spread of Eurasian watermilfoil, an aquatic invasive species, in Plains and Troy are now mandatory for all boat goers traveling to and from Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Reservoirs.

In a joint collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and Fish Wildlife and Parks, it was decided last week that the inspection stations designed to prevent the spread of Eurasian watermilfoil, an aquatic invasive species, in Plains and Troy are now mandatory for all boat goers traveling to and from Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Reservoirs.

The area was designated as a Special Management Area on June 14th for the control of Eurasian watermilfoil, a state-listed noxious weed introduced to Montana in 2007.

The mandatory check station is set up in Plains at the intersection of Highway 200 and Highway 28 to check all boats and watercrafts for invasive species. Boats are now obligated by law to have their watercraft inspected by residents from Plains and Troy that were properly trained and hired to operate the check stations.

There are two inspectors at the check stations seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. who will be available to inspect, clean, drain and dry watercrafts while inspecting for the Eurasian watermilfoil and other aquatic invasive species. Watercraft owners are required to stop for an inspection and possible cleaning when directed to do so by road signs such as those that can now be seen when entering and leaving Plains.

Inspection and education efforts are part of an "Inspect, Clean and Dry" campaign created to prevent aquatic invasive species from entering the region or spreading.

Boat goers will be given a certificate saying their boat was inspected once they pass through an inspection site.

People who knowingly transport the invasive species and refuse to have their boats cleaned or disinfected can face misdemeanor charges.

Inspector Earl Crawford at the Plains check station said on Monday that they inspected approximately 30 boats on Sunday thanks to the warm weather.

As of 2:00 p.m. on Monday, they had only inspected ten boats because of the wet weather.

"You can actually see the weed and they (the inspectors) are trained to inspect the boat and there are certain areas on the boat that are vulnerable to weeds such as license plates and trailer hitches," said Heidi Sedivy, Education Coordinator for the Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) Task Force

The EWM Task Force's primary goal is to make sure the weed does not spread to other bodies of water and remains contained in the Cabinet Gorge and Noxon Reservoirs. The Task Force's efforts have so far proved successful as the weed has remained contained within these reservoirs for the past three years.

The mandatory check stations are an additional way to prevent the spread of the invasive species.

The funding came mostly from the Montana Aquatic Invasive Species Act. According to Sedivy, an Invasive Species Fund was set up through this act.

Part of the funding was also through the Mont. Dept. of Ag. Noxious Weed Trust Fund.

On top of the mandatory check stations, FWP and the Dept. of Agriculture have set up mobile inspection stations around boat launches and along the major highway entry points into Montana.

Sedivy said the mandatory check stations will keep the waters free from the noxious weed for longer.

Although some people believe it is inevitable that this weed will ultimately spread to other water bodies because it only takes one small fragment to cause an infestation, Sedivy said the more boats inspected, the higher the chances are to catch that small weed fragment.

"If it's five years from now instead of five days we have saved five years of treatment in another lake. We've contained it for three summers so it's been a worthwhile effort," said Sedivy.

Eurasian watermilfoil is an aggressive aquatic plant that forms dense mats, which can congest waterways and crowd out native aquatic plants.

The growth of the weed may impair recreational uses of a waterway and lead to deteriorating water quality in infested waterways and alter the habitat of native fish and wildlife.

The weed is spread by plant fragments that may be carried by the wind and water currents or dispersed by recreational tools such as boats, motors and fishing gear.

Inspectors at the boat sites are trained to find these fragments and power wash them off of the watercrafts.

Questions on this story can be sent to reporter@vp-mi.com.