LINCOLN, Neb. – A waterless boat cleaning station recently was installed at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area’s Weigand Marina.
Lewis and Clark Lake is infested with zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species. This new equipment, called a CD3 cleaning station, allows boaters to clean, drain and dry their crafts upon leaving the lake to prevent the spread of invasives to other water bodies.
The CD3 unit is located in the same parking lot as the fish cleaning station, and is available for free to all recreational boaters to stop and clean their craft. The unit contains a vacuum, air blower, brush and hand tools for removing any vegetation from watercraft. The vacuum and blower system allows boaters to clean and dry all livewell and water lines to prevent the spread of zebra mussels. It is lighted for evening and nighttime use.
“Most aquatic invasive species are spread by human activity, either knowingly or inadvertently,” said Jeff Schuckman, Northeast District fisheries manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Simple steps can be taken to stop the spread of invasives, such as draining the water from your boat and all compartments, knowing how to identify invasive species and what they are, and taking the time to be good stewards of the resource and take preventative measures. Once invasives infest a water body, they may be difficult or impossible to remove and everyone must live with the ramifications.”
Funding for the watercraft cleaning unit came from a grant obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Nebraska Invasive Species Program.
“These units have been used extensively and successfully in Minnesota,” Schuckman said. “This is the first one on a lake in Nebraska.”
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