• Outdoors Outdoors

Officials hold Memorial Day event to catch hidden threat lurking on bottom of boats: 'Unfortunately, we had some boaters drive past it'

These initiatives are an encouraging example of how public action and agency coordination can keep ecosystems healthy.

These initiatives are an encouraging example of how public action and agency coordination can keep ecosystems healthy.

Photo Credit: iStock

Utah's boats weren't the only things making waves this Memorial Day. State officials made a great impact while launching a full-scale blitz to stop invasive species.

As reported by KSL NewsRadio, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources focused on halting the movement of aquatic invaders like quagga mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil, which threaten ecosystems and infrastructure across the state.

Over the three-day weekend, DWR teams set up over 40 boat inspection stations near highways, lakes, and ports of entry. Their mission was to check every vessel for hitchhiking invasive species before they could sneak into Utah's waterways. 

Of the 10,988 boats inspected, 141 were decontaminated — 63 of which were near Lake Powell, where quagga mussels have already taken hold.

"We opened a new aquatic invasive species mandatory inspection station in Kanab, and unfortunately, we had some boaters drive past it over the holiday weekend," Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Aquatic Invasive Species Lt. Bruce Johnson said, according to KSL NewsRadio..

Invasive species like quagga mussels aren't just a threat to wildlife. They can clog irrigation systems, damage boat engines, foul beaches with sharp shells and smells, and jack up utility bills by clogging water lines.

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Similarly, Eurasian watermilfoil grows into thick mats that block sunlight from reaching native plants and aquatic life below. Worse, these mats can wrap around boat propellers and clog irrigation pipes. 

Across the U.S. and Canada, similar invasive species crackdowns are gaining traction. 

In San Antonio, officials have ramped up efforts to control the spread of destructive apple snails along the River Walk, where their rapid reproduction and appetite for vegetation pose a threat to both the local ecosystem and public spaces. 

Meanwhile, in Ontario's Haliburton County, a grassroots initiative called the Mystery Snail Project is enlisting residents to help track and manage invasive Chinese mystery snails.

These initiatives and the Memorial Day blitz are an encouraging example of how public action and agency coordination can keep ecosystems healthy and keep costs down for everyone.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?

Absolutely 💯

It depends on the species 🤔

I don't know 🤷

No — leave nature alone 🙅

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