Protect Our Waters while you recreate
Paddle, motor, row, wade or sail, now is the time to brush up on tips to avoid spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS) when you hit the water this season.
Washington may be known as the evergreen state, but as the temperature rises, many are looking forward to recreating on or in our beautiful waters. While you prepare for your aquatic adventures, it’s a great time to brush up on your Clean, Drain, Dry routine and gather supplies to help protect our waters from harmful aquatic invasive species (AIS).
AIS are organisms that have spread beyond their native range. Without natural predators and competitors to keep their populations in check, AIS can spread quickly, threatening habitats, native species, outdoor recreation, our economy, infrastructure, and public health.
Species like invasive freshwater mussels and New Zealand mudsnails pose significant threats to our environment, access to aquatic recreation opportunities, and our economy. AIS can cause changes to water quality; increase harmful algal blooms; impact native and beneficial species including trout, salmon and steelhead; damage ecosystems; limit or close recreational access; and disrupt infrastructure for irrigated agriculture, fish hatcheries and passage systems, navigational locks, and hydropower.
Once introduced, AIS can move through connected waterways or hitch a ride on trailers, motorized and non-motorized watercraft, gear, and equipment. Just one AIS contaminated trailer, watercraft, or piece of gear could forever change Washington’s aquatic ecosystems.
Whether you’re a sailor, powerboater, jetskier, kayaker or paddleboarder, or you just enjoy a lazy river float on a hot day or wading in a cool stream, it’s all our responsibility to stop the spread of AIS.
How you can help Protect Our Waters
Fortunately, anyone who works or recreates on the water can help prevent AIS spread by practicing Clean, Drain, Dry:
Clean your watercraft, gear, and equipment before leaving the water access to prevent AIS from using you for a free ride. Remove all visible plants, mud, and organisms and rinse all surfaces with tap or fresh water.
If no cleaning station is available at the water access, rinse watercraft, gear, and equipment in an area where rinse water will not enter a waterbody or storm drain like a lawn or gravel driveway. If AIS enter the water, they could spread to new waterbodies.
Drain all accumulated water before leaving the water access area. Don’t forget to drain buckets, boots, and anything that can hold water. Pull all drain plugs. Not only will you leave AIS behind, but you’ll also lighten your load, increasing gas mileage. You’ll also reduce biofouling, extending the lifespan of your boat, gear, and equipment, saving you money.
Dry your watercraft, gear, and equipment before recreating or working in a new waterbody. You can speed up the drying process by opening compartments on watercraft and gear and towel drying. Many AIS have microscopic life stages or are difficult to see. Fully drying helps prevent AIS from traveling to new areas to infest.
If you find something suspicious or have been in waters suspected or known to be infested with AIS, decontaminate your watercraft, gear, or equipment. Let WDFW help decontaminate your watercraft for FREE by visiting a watercraft inspection station or requesting an inspection online. Decontamination procedures vary depending on what you’re cleaning.
Most AIS are temperature sensitive and washing or soaking in hot water will decontaminate items. Hard surfaces require contact with 140-degree water for 15 seconds, and porous items like waders or nets require contact with 120-degrees for 5 minutes.
Make sure hot water doesn’t drain into a nearby waterbody to protect temperature sensitive native species like frogs and newts. Be careful, water over 120 degrees can cause burns or scalds so use proper protective equipment. Additional decontamination methods can be found on WDFW’s Clean, Drain, Dry webpage or contact WDFW for guidance.
Not sure where to start or want to learn more about clean, drain, dry? The WDFW cleaning checklist in the clean, drain, dry brochure can help and the Clean, Drain, Dry webpage linked above has more information.
Traveling with watercraft: mandatory inspection and permits
If you’re traveling with watercraft, within the state or out of, remember to stop at all mandatory watercraft inspection stations. Inspectors are trained to spot even the trickiest AIS hitching a ride on your watercraft and trailer and, if needed, will decontaminate them for free.
All registered, commercial, and small vessels must stop at inspection stations (RCW 77.135.120). This includes motorized and non-motorized crafts including, but not limited to, powerboats, fishing boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes.
Fin, an invasive mussel detection dog, may assist with your inspection. Trained to sniff out invasive quagga and zebra mussels, Fin’s nose can detect microscopic larvae and mussels in places his human colleagues can’t see.
Visiting Washington or have watercraft registered outside of the state? You may need an AIS prevention permit.
A coordinated effort to Protect Our Waters
“Invasive quagga and zebra mussels are an AIS of greatest concern to the State of Washington” said Kelly Susewind, Director of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “They pose an imminent threat to native and beneficial fish and wildlife species, habitat, water quality and pollution, and critical infrastructure. If established, management and mitigation costs are anticipated to exceed hundreds of millions of dollars every year.”
In 2025, WDFW watercraft inspectors inspected more than 61,000 boats — a record high! Inspectors intercepted 21 mussel fouled watercraft — an increase from 13 interceptions in 2024 — including the January interception of a record setting 21 gallons of invasive mussels removed from a single vessel. Additionally, WDFW decontaminated over 3,300 watercraft that were at high risk of AIS contamination; did not meet state clean, drain, dry requirements; or because invasive species like aquatic noxious weeds were present, preventing potential massive ecological and economic impacts.
Washington is part of a broader North American strategy to reduce AIS risk, working alongside tribes, local governments, other states, provinces, and federal partners to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species through coordinated inspections, decontaminations, and education.
“Invasive species threaten our economy, environment, and way of life,” said Justin Bush, WDFW’s Aquatic Invasive Species Division Manager and member of the Washington Invasive Species Council. “They don’t respect boundaries, so protecting our waters takes coordination — and everyone can help. Practice Clean, Drain, Dry every time you’re on the water, and stop at inspection stations to do your part.”
Find WDFW’s stations along your route or request a free inspection on WDFW’s website. 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). If you’re traveling to Washington with watercraft registered in another state, don’t forget your AIS prevention permit.
Protect our Waters by remembering to Clean, Drain, Dry every time you leave the water. By taking these simple steps, you preserve safe, healthy, and fun waterways for your family and friends, habitat, native species, and outdoor recreation for future generations.
