PROTECTING LAKE MINOCQUA AND KAWAGUESAGA FROM NEW INVASIVE SPECIES
Clean Boats Clean Waters (CBCW) is a program in Wisconsin that has been in operation since 2004. Through CBCW, watercraft inspectors are trained to inspect boats, trailers, and equipment to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS). Across Wisconsin, CBCW inspectors are stationed at boat launches where they watch for potential AIS and prevent them from either entering or leaving a body of water. They also educate lake-goers about protecting our beloved lakes and gather information.
MKLPA has used WDNR grant funding to sponsor our own CBCW inspectors at our public boat launches since 2022. CBCW inspection is provided on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. During the summer of 2023 our CBCW inspectors inspected 2,366 boats and contacted 5460 people with education on the importance of clean boats clean waters.
Clean Boats Clean Water 2023
# Boats Inspected = 2366
Dam Road Landing = 29
Thirsty Whale Landing = 810
Schoolhouse Bay Landing = 1527
Total people contacted = 5460
Total Hours Spent = 1006
Preventing the introduction of new invasive species—by always following the inspection and prevention steps below—is an easy and effective way to help protect the lake you love. Be on the lookout for CBCW inspectors when launching or taking out your boat!
You can help protect Lake Minocqua and Lake Kawaguesaga from invasive species!
INSPECTyour boat, trailer, and all equipment before entering and after leaving the lake to make sure you are not transporting AIS.
REMOVEall plants, mud, and animals that you see after inspection. AIS can live in mud and a two-inch piece of some invasive plants is enough to start a whole new colony in a lake, so be thorough!
DRAIN all water from the boat (including kayaks, canoes, and all equipment), live wells, bait wells, motors, and bilges, AIS can be microscopic and not visible to the human eye. Water that looks clean may be carrying a lake harming invasive species.
SPECIAL NOTE FOR WAKE BOATS Completely drain your ballast tanks and have them heat decontaminated especially when trailing to a new lake.
NEVER MOVE live plants, fish, or fish eggs away from the water body.
DISPOSEof unwanted bait in the trash.
BUYminnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer. You may take unused minnows away from a water body and use them at a later date on that same water body. You may also take unused minnows to another water body but only if no lake or river water were added to the minnow container.