Commissioners approve AIS plan

Brenda Erdahl

Wright County Commissioners have committed to continuing the fight against Aquatic Invasive Species in Wright County lakes with the unanimous approval of an updated five-year prevention and management plan.

Alicia O’Hare, Water Resource Specialist for Wright Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) presented the comprehensive plan to the County Board at its regular meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 16.

The plan, which outlines how AIS prevention aid and other monies will be spent to prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS in the County, was last updated in 2017 and a lot has changed since then, O’Hare said.

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR), AIS are species that are not native to Minnesota and cause harm to economic prosperity, the environment and human health. In 2014 the state legislature recognized the problem and started allocating $10 million annually to help prevent its spread. The money is distributed to counties based 50% on the number of watercraft trailer launches and 50% on the number of watercraft trailer parking spaces. Wright County receives about $240,000 each year from the state, O’Hare said. Wright SWCD, the organization that administers the AIS program in the County, uses that money to pay for AIS inspection programs, treatment programs, decontamination stations, education and more. In addition to the state aid, The SWCD contributes money to the AIS effort as do several local interest groups such as lake associations.

According to O’Hare, since the plan was last updated Wright County has seen two more starry stonewort infestations bringing the total up to three (West Lake Sylvia, Pleasant and Clearwater), 24 new infestations of zebra mussels for a total of 33, five new infestations of Eurasian watermilfoil and a new invasive species, Golden Clams which was discovered in the reach of the Mississippi River that creates the border between Sherburn and Wright Counties.