Help protect Washington’s waters this boating season
It’s officially boating season and it’s time to hit the water! Help protect our waters and keep the lakes, rivers, and waterbodies you love clean by remembering to clean, drain, and dry your watercraft after every adventure.
A major threat to our waters, aquatic invasive species (AIS) threaten our outdoor recreation, economy, infrastructure, environment, and public health.
AIS are organisms that have spread beyond their native habitat and, without predators or competitors to keep their populations in check, can spread rapidly once introduced to new areas. Species like invasive mussels and New Zealand mud snails can change water quality; increase the frequency of harmful algal blooms; impact native species including salmon and steelhead; damage habitat and entire ecosystems; and impact infrastructure for hatcheries, locks, and hydropower.
“It just takes one contaminated watercraft, trailer, or piece of gear to introduce aquatic invasive species and forever alter Washington’s freshwater ecosystems,” says Raquel Crosier, WDFW’s Aquatic Invasive Species management coordinator.
Many AIS spread by hitching a ride on trailers and watercraft — from motorboats to non-motorized craft such as kayaks and stand-up paddleboards (SUPs). They can hide in accumulated water or attach to equipment like waders, boots, paddles or nets. If it’s been on or in the water, it could be contaminated with AIS.
Whenever possible, prevent AIS from using you for a free ride by cleaning your watercraft and equipment before you leave the water access area.
Remove visible plants, mud, and organisms — a stiff-bristled brush can help — and rinse all surfaces with water safe to drink. Drain all accumulated water and remember to pull all drain plugs. Not only will you leave AIS behind, but you’ll lighten your load, increasing your gas mileage. You’ll also reduce equipment biofouling, extending the lifespan of your boat, saving you money.
If no cleaning station is available at the boat launch or water access area, rinse watercraft and gear in an area where rinse water will not enter a storm drain, like a lawn or gravel driveway. If AIS are rinsed off and enter a storm drain, they could spread to new waterbodies.
Before launching at a new waterbody, remember to fully dry your gear and watercraft. Speed up the drying process by opening compartments on watercraft and gear and towel drying the inside. Many AIS have larvae that are microscopic or difficult to see with the naked eye. Fully drying helps prevent larvae from spreading to new areas.
Not sure where to start or want to learn more about clean, drain, dry? Check out the WDFW cleaning checklist in the clean, drain, dry brochure and clean, drain, dry website for more information.
If you’re traveling with watercraft, even within the state, remember to stop at all mandatory watercraft inspection stations. Inspectors will help you look for AIS hitching a ride on your watercraft and trailer and, if needed, will decontaminate them for free.
Invasive mussel detection dog, Fin, may assist with your inspection. Invasive quagga and zebra mussels are an AIS of greatest concern and pose an imminent threat to native fish and wildlife species, habitats, water quality and pollution, and critical infrastructure. If established, management and mitigation costs are anticipated to exceed hundreds of millions of dollars every year. These mussels can be so small humans can’t see them, but Fin’s nose can sniff them out.
In 2024, WDFW watercraft inspection stations inspected nearly 54,800 vessels for AIS and found 13 contaminated with invasive quagga and zebra mussels.
Find stations along your route or request a free inspection on WDFW’s website. Visiting Washington or have watercraft registered outside of the state? You may need an AIS prevention permit.
Don’t skip the station! Stopping is mandatory and helps protect our waters (RCW 77.135.120). Stopping also protects you from accidently illegally transporting AIS which carries fines up to $5,000 (RCW 77.15.809).
Protecting our waters is as easy as clean, drain, dry. By practicing clean, drain, dry every time you leave the water, you’ll help keep our waters a safe, clean, and fun place to play not only for you, but for future generations.
