In This Issue
In more than half the boating fatalities in Minnesota, alcohol is the main factor. That means those deaths likely were preventable, which is a key reason why Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officers and their public safety partners are stepping up their efforts to keep Minnesota?s waterways safe July 1-3.
The increased focus on boating under the influence is part of Operation Dry Water, a nationwide campaign to highlight the dangers of boating under the influence of drugs and alcohol and call attention to the heavy penalties associated with boating while intoxicated. Each year during this time, dozens of boaters are arrested for BWI.
Minnesota?s lakes and rivers likely will be extraordinarily busy over the next week, thanks to a promising forecast and the annual urge to celebrate the Fourth of July on the water. Anyone operating a boat should not use drugs or ingest alcohol. In Minnesota and across the nation, BWI is the leading contributing factor in boating accidents and fatalities. Operation Dry Water coincides with the days leading up to the Fourth of July because waterways are particularly busy and BWI-related injuries and deaths tend to spike during this holiday period.
?If you?re caught boating under the influence, you?ll get a stay in jail ? not a second chance? said Capt. Adam Block, DNR boating law administrator. ?People out enjoying the water the right way should not be put at risk because of someone else?s decision to drink and boat.?
The penalties associated with boating under the influence have never been higher, particularly in Minnesota, which has some of the nation?s strongest BWI laws. People convicted of drinking and driving ? whether they?re driving a boat, motor vehicle or recreational vehicle ? lose their privilege to operate any of them.
The reason many boating accidents turn fatal is because the people who fall overboard weren?t wearing a life jacket. At the same time, being intoxicated often is what causes them to end up in the water in the first place. Public safety officials urge all boaters to stay ?dry? on the water and wait until they?re back on shore to drink alcohol.
For more information on Operation Dry Water and boating safety, visit the?Operation Dry Water website?(operationdrywater.org) and the?boating safety webpage of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/boatingsafety).
Operation Dry Water activities are sponsored by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard.
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of the invasive algae starry stonewort in Long Lake, near Hawick in Kandiyohi County.?
DNR staff conducting a survey of algae in Long Lake found starry stonewort at a depth of eight to twelve feet near the west public access on Long Lake.
Follow-up surveys showed the starry stonewort appears to be present in a roughly one-quarter-acre area of the lake near the public access. Available treatment options could include hand pulling, herbicide applications or other methods as appropriate.
Starry stonewort has never been eradicated from any U.S. lake or river, but treatment or careful removal can help reduce the risk of spread and relieve associated nuisance impacts on water-related recreational activities. Early detection is key to effective management.
Starry stonewort has now been confirmed in 24 water bodies in Minnesota. It was first confirmed in Minnesota in 2015.
In late summer and early fall, starry stonewort?s small white star-shaped bulbils become more visible, making it easier to distinguish from other aquatic plants. Information on how to identify starry stonewort can be found on the?DNR?s website?(mndnr.gov/invasives/aquaticplants/starrystonewort).
If people think they?ve found starry stonewort or any other invasive species new to a lake or river, they should report it to the DNR by contacting their?area invasive species specialist?(mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html).
Starry stonewort is an algae that looks like some native aquatic plants. It can form dense mats, which can interfere with recreational uses of a lake and compete with native plants. It is most likely spread when fragments have not been properly cleaned from trailered boats, personal watercraft, docks, boat lifts, anchors or other water-related equipment.?
Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:
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Clean?watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
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Drain?all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
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Dispose?of unwanted bait in the trash.
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Never release?bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
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Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days?before moving them from one waterbody to another.
These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:
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Decontaminate?watercraft and equipment ? find free stations on the?courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/decon).
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Spray?with high-pressure water or?rinse?with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
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Dry?watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.
More information is available on the?aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/ais).
Funding for the Long Lake algae survey was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), Project 2021-055: Protecting Minnesota?s Beneficial Macroalgae ? All Stoneworts Aren?t Starry.
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Lake Plantagenet, near Nary in Hubbard County.
DNR invasive species specialists, following up on a report of zebra mussels, found adult zebra mussels in three areas of the lake.?
Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:
-
Clean?watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
-
Drain?all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
-
Dispose?of unwanted bait in the trash.
-
Never release?bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
-
Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days?before moving them from one water body to another.
These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:
-
Decontaminate?watercraft and equipment ? find free stations on the?courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/decon).
-
Spray?with high-pressure water or?rinse?with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
-
Dry?watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.
People should?contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist?(mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.
More information is available on the?aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/ais).
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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Pine Lake, near Saint Anna in Stearns County.
A lakeshore resident contacted the DNR after finding a zebra mussel on a rock in front of their property. In follow-up searches, a DNR invasive species specialist found another adult zebra mussel attached to a log on the south end of the lake.
Whether or not a lake has any invasive species, Minnesota law requires people to:
-
Clean?watercraft, trailers and equipment to remove aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species.
-
Drain?all water and leave drain plugs out during transport.
-
Dispose?of unwanted bait in the trash.
-
Never release?bait, plants or aquarium pets into Minnesota waters.
-
Dry docks, lifts and rafts for 21 days?before moving them from one water body to another.
These additional steps reduce the risk of spreading aquatic invasive species:
-
Decontaminate?watercraft and equipment ? find free stations on the?courtesy decontamination page of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/decon).
-
Spray?with high-pressure water or?rinse?with very hot water (120 degrees for at least two minutes or 140 degrees for at least 10 seconds).
-
Dry?watercraft and equipment for at least five days before using in another water body.
People should?contact a Minnesota DNR aquatic invasive species specialist?(mndnr.gov/invasives/ais/contacts.html) if they think they have found zebra mussels or any other invasive species that was not already known to be in the water body.
More information is available on the?aquatic invasive species page of the DNR website?(mndnr.gov/ais).
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