Aquatic Invasive Species

Packrafts are changing how we access our waterways. They are so small, light, and packable that we can (and do) take them everywhere. They can fit in your carry on bag on an airplane, you can throw it in the trunk of any car, and strap it to your backpack and carry it anywhere. This is awesome because now we can paddle remote alpine lakes, rivers in major cities after work and everything in between. While all this easy access is great, it comes with great responsibility. Invasive species can attach themselves to anything that comes in contact with water. This means all your paddling gear could contaminate other waterways if you are not careful.

If you own a motor boat you are probably aware of most local regulations, like watercraft inspection stations, prevention permits, decals, and stamps. But most of these are not required for non motorized boats like kayaks, canoes, stand up paddle boards and packrafts. Especially since most packrafts are under 9 feet, they sneak under most size requirements. Also since packrafts do not need to be registered, owners might be unaware of regulations. Since packrafts are so small, you can launch from anywhere and skip normal boat ramps where they inspect watercrafts.

Since we are hiking up to these high alpine lakes and rivers, these are the headwaters meaning if they are contaminated, they could spread to other major rivers downstream.

The main aquatic invasive species to be worried about are:

Plants - Eurasian Watermilfoil, Curlyleaf Pondweed, Hydrilla, and Water Hyacinth

Invertabrtes - Zebra Mussels, Quagga Mussels, Golden Mussels, New Zealand Mudsnails, and Asian Clams.

Photo courtesy of Keep Tahoe Blue

Invasive species training with Keep Tahoe Blue and Eyes on the Lake

Steps to prevent aquatic invasive species:

First check your gear, look for anything that could be an invasive species. Also inspect your packraft, paddle and pfd for any damage.

Clean, Drain, Dry. These are steps you should be doing every time to ensure longevity of your packraft and to protect our waterways. Rinse and wash all your gear. Usually washing everything with fresh water at home is enough, but if you know you have been in contaminated waters, muddy/murky, or ocean water you can use a small amount of Dawn dish soap. After rinsing/washing, drain and dry your boat. Most rafts drain easily, but the rafts with a spraydeck can be trickier. I towel dry mine and then leave it outside out of direct sunlight. Do not leave your raft out in the sun for extended periods of time and if you do leave it out to dry make sure the raft is not fully inflated so your raft does not stress the seams when the raft heats up and the air inside expands.

Make sure you follow these steps for all your gear. If you have a 2 or 4 piece paddle make sure you break it down all the way and clean all the parts. I have an old 4 piece paddle that I never cleaned and now it is stuck so bad it's a 2 piece paddle. My pfd has a hand warmer pocket that always stays moist, so when I dry it I put a small block of wood in it to keep it open so it can dry. For wetsuits and drysuits follow the manufactures directions, don't just huck it in the washing machine and dryer.

If you use your packraft for fishing, be sure to check local fishing regulations for invasive/non-native fish, sometimes local agencies do not want you to throw an invasive fish back and require you to report your catch.

Other tips:

Utilize your Ti-Zip on your packraft. If your boat has a Ti-Zip take full advantage of it. If you have gear on your bow that can get wet it has more potential to spread invasive species. If your gear is stored in the Ti-Zip chamber of your packraft it will stay dry and you wont't have to worry about your it.

Tips for backcountry use: It's easy to clean and care for your gear at home, but what about in the backcountry or on a road trip? A small rag can really help out to wipe off any debris as well as dry out the packraft. You can also rinse it off with some fresh water. No need to filter water, but scooping some up from a lake and rinsing your packraft is great. Then be sure to let it fully dry out before heading to another lake. Sometimes the last part can be tricky since you might finish in the dark or be on a road trip, but it is essential to make sure its totally dry which also helps keeping mold and mildew out of your boat.