Water equipment cleaning

Exotic species are one of the biggest threats to our natural environment. You can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species in the flowage by cleaning your boat, trailer, and live-well before you arrive and after you leave the flowage. State laws prohibit releasing bait or water from your boat back into a waterbody.

• Do not release live bait including worms, minnows, or crayfish into the environment.
• Drain all water from your boat including live wells, bilges, and bait buckets before you leave any lake, river, or stream.
• Do not transport any live fish away from a lake, river, or stream unless they are bait fish purchased from a bait dealer that have not been exposed to water from that water body.
• Inspect your boat and trailer and remove all aquatic plants, animals, and mud before leaving any lake, river, or stream.
• Spray/rinse your boat and equipment with hot and/or high pressure water or dry your equipment for 5 days before going to another water body.
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The spring-time urge to get our yards in shape is great, but remember that how we care for our yards affects the health of our rivers, lakes and wetlands.

Everyone lives in a watershed which means that rainwater running off our property into the streets and then into storm drains can carry soil, nutrients, bacteria and other harmful materials into the waters we love, and are concerned about. Grass clippings, tree seeds, and leaves are sources of phosphorus which is released into water when they decompose.

Mow your property so that the grass clippings are directed back onto the lawn and not into the street. Covering bare areas on your property with mulch and planting native or other suitable ground cover will prevent soil eroding from those areas and filling in wetlands, clogging rivers and lake bottoms.

Learn more about protecting our water by visiting the “Minnesota Water – Let’s Keep it Clean” website.