Boat Decontamination
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Protect Colorado Waters
Clean Your Boat
Because boaters can easily transport invasive species, they are required by law to clean, drain and dry their boat, trailer and equipment every time they enter or exit any waters.
Thorough cleaning is an essential part of boat decontamination. Follow this checklist to do your part to help stop the spread of aquatic nuisance species:
- Remove all water drain plugs before you transport your boat. It is illegal to transport a boat and trailer over land with plants on board or plugs in place.
- Remove any visible plant or plant fragments as well as mud or other debris from your boat. Plant material, mud and other debris often contain other organisms that may be an aquatic nuisance species, and plant fragments and animals can survive in mud many days out of water.
- Check the trailer, including axle and wheel areas, as well as in and around the boat itself, including the anchor, props and jet engines, ropes, boat bumpers and paddles.
- Clean, check and dry off all parts and equipment that came in contact with water.
- Empty bait buckets into the trash. Do not empty any bait fish into the lake or reservoir.
- Be sure to clean all fishing equipment, including the soles of waders and boots.
- For Eurasian water milfoil and zebra mussels: Rinse with high-pressure hot water (above 104 degrees Fahrenheit) or salt water.
- New Zealand mudsnails: Soak in a 1:1 solution of Formula 409 and water for five minutes, rinse in clean water, and air dry in shade.
- Whirling disease: Soak in a 1:5 solution of bleach and water for five minutes, rinse in clean water, and air dry in shade.
Properly draining your boat is another important part of preventing the spread of aquatic nuisance species. Follow these steps every time your boat has been in water:
- Drain every space or item that can hold water.
- Follow factory guidelines for eliminating water from engines. All engines hold water, but jet drives on personal watercraft and other boats can hold extra water.
- Remove the drain plug from boats and put the boat on an incline so that the water drains out.
- Drain live wells, bilge, ballast tanks and transom wells.
- Empty water out of kayaks, canoes, rafts and any other vessels that contacted the water.
Before you launch into another body of water, allow everything to dry completely. This is an important step for helping to ensure that your boat does not spread aquatic nuisance species.
Replace any pumps rated to only 130 degrees Fahrenheit with pumps rated to 180 degrees Fahrenheit. The higher heat-rated pump will make it easier and less risky to get your boat decontaminated at an inspection station. Keep your receipt for the pump and your owner’s manual on board to help inspectors at the next location.
Does My Boat need to be Decontaminated?
Boat decontamination is an essential part of making sure aquatic nuisance species do not spread. Decontamination will be required if:
- Zebra or quagga mussels are found attached to a watercraft.
- Any other aquatic nuisance species is positively identified or suspected on a watercraft.
- Suspected unidentifiable bumps are detected on a watercraft.
- The watercraft is from water where nuisance species have been found and has any water on and/or in it.
- The watercraft cannot be fully drained.
- The watercraft trailer has plants attached that can’t be removed by hand.
- The watercraft has live aquatic bait without a valid receipt.
Ballast Tanks
Ballast tanks, inboard engines and inboard/outboard engines cannot be fully drained and require decontamination when they are moved from a positive water (blue receipt) to a negative water (white receipt). These systems will always require decontamination if the boat has no seal and receipt.
Video: Decontamination and Inspection Process
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What Happens During Decontamination?
To kill and remove mussels and other aquatic nuisance species during a boat decontamination, these steps are followed:
- Boats are decontaminated using hot water (120 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit).
- The exterior of the boat and trailer are sprayed with a high-pressure rinse.
- The interior compartments and the engine/motor are flushed or rinsed with low-pressure hot water.
Aquatic Nuisance Species
Protect Colorado Waters
Aquatic Nuisance Species are aquatic plants and animals that invade lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams. Many of these species are introduced by boats after being in infected waters. Boat decontamination helps to eliminate aquatic nuisance species to prevent spread between waters, protecting aquatic habit.