Yellow Medicine Soil and Water Conservation District * (320) 669- 4442 ext. 3
The next Board meeting is scheduled for THURSDAY, May 22nd, 2025 9AM at the Ag Service Center, Clarkfield, MN
Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)
WHAT ARE THEY?
Aquatic invasive species(AIS) include fish, invertebrate, and plant species that have been introduced into a new aquatic environment, having been spread to locations where they do not naturally occur. Once introduced, AIS populations can grow quickly because of the lack of natural predators in their new environment. AIS can cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. And, they negatively impact the quality of outdoor recreation experiences.
Each of us can PREVENT THE SPREAD of these invasive species in the
lakes & streams of Yellow Medicine County & greater Minnesota!
CLEAN. Inspect your watercraft, trailer & gear. Remove all plant material, mud & foreign objects.
DRAIN. Remove all water from the watercraft, including the motor, bilge, livewells & bait buckets.
DRY. Open all compartments & allow the watercraft & trailer to dry for at least 5 days before entering another body of water.
For additional prevention: spray watercraft & trailer with high pressure water, rinse with very hot water, dry for at least 5 days.
QUICK LINKS:
GET MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT THE CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY PROCESS AT:
How You Can Help - Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers
Clean In Clean Out | Minnesota DNR (state.mn.us)
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES ARE IMPACTING OUR WATERS AT:
Aquatic Hitchhikers - Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers
IDENTIFYING AQUATIC SPECIES:
The Yellow Medicine SWCD reaches out
to residents of Yellow Medicine County
& beyond with AIS Prevention messages
OUTREACH
through the MEDIA
In 2023, Yellow Medicine, along with a dozen other MN Counties, helped support these catchy AIS prevention videos presented by the MN Lakes and Rivers Advocates to remind people to HELP STOP THE SPREAD of aquatic invasive species.
-
2016-2024 Prairie Sportsman AIS message, sponsorship. Current sponsors include Wright, Meeker, Big Stone, Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine Counties. The show is now being aired on PBS stations in EIGHT states, spreading the AIS prevention message to a broad audience.
Here is a collection of messages featured on Pioneer TV's Prairie Sportsmen:
Special thanks to Pioneer TV for compiling these messages.
-
2016-2023 Lindner’s Angling Buzz, AIS prevention message co-sponsor along with several other SWCDs.
-
2018-2021 AIS Prevention ad sponsorship, KARE 11's Cabin Cast. Several counties worked with Wildlife Forever to sponsor a joint ad campaign during KARE 11’s “Cabin Cast.” According to INFO provided by the DNR in 2020, 17 counties sponsored 318 spots for the ad that ran May through September, which reached 3,004,269 people watching KARE 11. The ads made 11,344,264 impressions and brought 6,316 clicks to the Clean Drain Dry Initiative website.
Click HERE to see the 2019 Cabin Cast message
-
2021-2023 KDMA radio ad sponsor promoting AIS Awareness.
YM SWCD staff partnered with the local 4-H program to coordinate the AQUAROBOTICS program. Youth had the fun of building an aqua robot, operate the robots in competition, and gather and identify aquatic samples from local waters.
Yellow Medicine & Lac qui Parle SWCD technicians teamed up to spread the word at area ice fishing tournaments.
For the past several years, the SWCD has used the Ag in the Classroom & Environmental Fair events to reach out to the area’s 4th, 5th & 6th graders and remind them of the importance of “Stopping Aquatic Hitchhikers.”
OUTREACH
through EDUCATION
*LICENSE HOLDERS - OVER 10,000 license sleeves with an AIS prevention message have been provided to area businesses where fishing & hunting licenses are sold.
*DRINK COASTERS - 2,750 drink coasters carrying AIS prevention and species ID INFO distributed to local businesses.
*ICE FISHING PROMOs - In 2018 & '19, 1,000 terry fishing towels carrying the “Clean Drain Dry “ message & nearly 300 stocking hats and fish rulers bearing the AIS prevention message were made available to local fisherman by Yellow Medicine and Lac qui Parle staff at area ice fishing tournaments. Fisherman were also invited to win a bait cooler (or a fishing pole for younger participants) in exchange for their commitment to do their part to prevent the spread of aquatic invasives.
*FISHING LURES, tote bags, can coozies & key floats carrying AIS prevention message have also been used in outreach.
OUTREACH
through PROMOTION
An AIS cut out board was created to use a little humor while reminding people attending local events to clean their boats.
2021 AIS Display at Rockfest, Granite Falls
2021 AIS display at Rockfest, Granite Falls
2021 AIS display at Squidfest, Granite Falls
2021 AIS Display at Rockfest, Granite Falls
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
*Monitoring of local waters established traffic patterns of an average of 10 watercrafts per day at Wood Lake and Del Clark Lake and 1 per day at the remaining accesses. The equipment purchased to monitor traffic was transferred to Yellow Medicine County Parks Department. One was lost under the surface of Curtis Lake. Memorial, Independence, and Labor Day Weekends saw over one hundred crafts per day entering and leaving the water. This pattern held true for multiple years, and monitoring was abandoned.
*Hundreds of hours of rapid training and networking was invested by various SWCD staff and board members since 2014.
*With the exception of a one time spotting of Zebra Mussel on the Chippewa County side of the Granite Falls dam, Yellow Medicine County remains free of aquatic invasive species.
*Investment and Involvement in community events throughout the county.