SPREAD THE WORD, NOT THE PESTS
Boaters are being told ways to prevent spread of invasive species in Iowa.

By JULI PROBASCO-SOWERS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

July 1, 2007

People waiting to take power boats and personal watercraft off trailers pulled up to the Emerson Bay boat ramps on West Lake Okoboji in a nearly steady stream on a recent Saturday afternoon.

Joe Yakosky stood in the midst of the traffic, clipboard in hand, approaching drivers.

"I'm doing an aquatic invasive species survey today and I was wondering if I could talk with you for a minute and look at your boat," Yakosky said.

He asked that question at least 10 times over 1 hours as the inspector checking boats for unwanted species of plants, fish and mussels educated boaters about how they can stop their spread.

Yakosky is one of 11 people who inspect watercraft, rotating between that duty and being a water patrol officer at the Iowa Great Lakes - East Lake Okoboji, West Lake Okoboji, Spirit Lake and several other lakes.

Three of the 11 positions are paid for by money from an increase in boater registration fees. That brings an additional $450,000 into the state budget for invasive aquatics work, said Kim Bogenschutz, who heads the Aquatic Nuisance Species Program from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Research Station near Boone.

Bogenschutz also has two water patrol officers, one on the Mississippi River and one on the Missouri River, who do watercraft inspections and education. Two based out of Boone cover central Iowa.

The inspectors from Boone are often at Clear Lake and Lake Delhi, two lakes in Iowa that have been infested with the zebra mussel.

Zebra mussels attach to surfaces, including native mussels, suffocating them and taking over their food supplies.

Taking a boat from one of those two lakes and then using it at the Iowa Great Lakes could spread the mussel if the boat isn't properly cleaned. That's because young zebra mussels free-float in the water in the early stages of life.

Zebra mussels, plants like Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leafed pond weed, and fish such as big-head carp and silver carp are the reason Iowa officials are ramping up education efforts.

The department has published brochures explaining how to stop the transport and spread of the unwanted plants, fish and mussels.

Jeff Klingensmith of Sergeant Bluff, who was with his brother boating at West Lake Okoboji on the day Yakosky was working, said educating boaters is a good idea.

"It helps preserve the lake and the fish and keeps things nice for swimming and boating," Klingensmith said.

Invasive species such as the watermilfoil and the curly-leafed pond weed often grow too thick, making boating, swimming and fishing tough. The plants also deplete oxygen levels for fish and crowd out native plants.

Ken Roder of Ashton, who brought his boat to West Lake Okoboji for the day, said he had never heard the term "invasive aquatic species," but he knew what they were and said he always washes his boat.

"Hearing all that stuff makes me more aware of the problem," he said.

In addition to cleaning aquatic debris from trailers and boats, people are asked to throw bait away when they are done, rather than dumping it in the water.

They should also wash their boats with high pressure or hot tap water after use or allow it to dry for about 12 days before use. Another good practice is to drain bilges and live wells before going to another body of water.

Reporter Juli Probasco-Sowers can be reached at (515) 284-8134 or jprobasco@dmreg.com.

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