Dock and cover: check your water equipment for sneaky invasive species before storing

As boating season comes to an end, Iowa DNR is warning boaters and dock owners how important it is to inspect water equipment for invasive species before putting everything into storage.

Aquatic invasive species are plants and animals that are not native to Iowa and cause harm to the environment, economy, and humans.

Curly-leaf pondweed, Eurasian watermilfoil, and zebra mussels are just a few of the aquatic invasive species commonly found in Iowa’s lakes and rivers.

These species can grow and spread quickly due to a lack of natural controls,negatively impacting our ecosystems.

It's illegal in Iowa to possess or transport aquatic invasive species between bodies of water.

The Iowa DNR has three simple steps you can follow to avoid spreading invasive species when taking your equipment out of the water: Clean, drain, and dry.

It's important that you never release plants, fish, or animals into a water body unless they came out of that waterbody, and to always empty unwanted bait in the trash.

“So making sure you clean, and drain, and dry your equipment every time," Bogenschutz said. "Clean off all the aquatic plants, clean off zebra mussels if you can, but also draining all the water, and then let things dry.”

Taking the proper precautions can help prevent the spreading of invasive species and help protect local ecosystems. If you do find anything unusual when removing your equipment from the water, check the Iowa DNR's website to see if what you've found is an invasive species. If so, contact the DNR's office.