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Clean Your Gear
Aquatic Nuisance Species spread by hitchhiking on watercraft, trailers, vehicles, tires, boots, waders, equipment, and gear. Be a pain in the ANS by cleaning your gear.
Mussels impact peaches
Oh, SHELL NO
Be a Pain in the ANS!
We can keep Colorado’s peaches sweet, juicy and thriving by preventing the spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS). Clean, drain and dry all paddling, fishing and boating gear after each use and Be a Pain in the ANS!
ANS are non-native species that can harm bodies of water, ecosystems and even industries. Several kinds of invasive species can cause clogs in irrigation pipes — this could interrupt water delivery for agricultural producers. Clogs could be formed by non-native zebra, quagga and golden mussels, which can attach themselves to the insides of pipes.
How Shells Could Impact Crops
1. Water
Coloradans use water from lakes, reservoirs, and rivers for many purposes, including drinking water, agriculture and irrigation.
2. Boats
ANS can enter lakes, reservoirs and rivers from water gear and move between bodies of water via irrigation systems, where they can reproduce rapidly.
3. Clogs
ANS can build up in irrigation pipes, which can slow down water flow to crops.
4. Impact
Help protect our water supply and agriculture from invasive species when you clean, drain and dry your water gear.
Take Action
Clean Your Gear
Clean, drain and dry your watercraft and gear — and Be a Pain in the ANS.
Clean Your Gear at a Cleaning Station
Find a watercraft and gear cleaning station now.
Find a cleaning stationVideo: Clean Your Gear — Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species
Be a Pain in the ANS
Clean Your Gear — Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species
Join Sean, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Educator, as he explores the harmful effects of aquatic nuisance species in Colorado’s freshwater ecosystems, along with simple steps you can take to prevent the spread of aquatic nuisance species
How to Clean Your Gear Yourself
Be a Pain in the ANS!
How to Clean Paddle boards
Aquatic Nuisance Species spread by hitchhiking on watercraft, trailers, vehicles, tires, boots, waders, equipment, and gear. Be a pain in the ANS by cleaning your paddle board.
- Keep your distance from storm drains and new bodies of water while cleaning all equipment.
- Remove all visible plant material, animals and mud from the board, fin and associated plugs.
- Clean all other equipment that was used including paddles, lifejackets and leashes.
- Carry your paddle board to a dry location and place it on its side to drain.
- Sponge or towel any areas where water has been unable to drain. Inflatable paddle boards should be left inflated until dry.
- When fully dry, place the air valve down when deflating to prevent water from getting inside the paddle board.
Video: Paddleboards — Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
How to
Clean Your Paddle Board
Learn how to clean, drain and dry paddleboard gear with Grace, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Invasive Species Program Technician, and Ashley Coil, from Rocky Mountain Paddleboard.
Be a Pain in the ANS!
How to Clean Kayaks and Canoes
Aquatic Nuisance Species spread by hitchhiking on watercraft, trailers, vehicles, tires, boots, waders, equipment, and gear. Be a pain in the ANS by cleaning your kayak.
- Keep your distance from storm drains and new bodies of water while cleaning all equipment.
- Remove all visible plant material, animals and mud from the hull, rudder and all compartments including footwells and storage areas.
- Clean all other equipment that was used including paddles, lifejackets and the anchor.
- Carry your kayak or canoe to a dry location to drain.
- Tilt and lift your kayak or canoe to empty any water that has pooled inside the interior compartments.
- Sponge or towel any areas where water has been unable to drain.
- Find a place where the kayak or canoe can continue to dry completely.
Video: Kayaks and Canoes — Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
How to
Clean Your Kayaks and Canoes
Learn how to clean, drain and dry kayaks and canoes with Grace, a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Invasive Species Program Technician, and Ashley Coil, from Rocky Mountain Paddleboard.
Be a Pain in the ANS!
How to Clean Rafts, Inner Tubes, Water Skis and Surf Boards
Aquatic Nuisance Species spread by hitchhiking on watercraft, trailers, vehicles, tires, boots, waders, equipment, and gear. Be a pain in the ANS by cleaning your gear.
- Keep your distance from storm drains and new bodies of water while cleaning all equipment.
- Remove all visible plant material, animals, and mud from the hull, trailer and all compartments including footwells and storage areas.
- Clean all other equipment that was used including paddles, dry storage bags, anchors and lifejackets.
- Ensure that all water has been drained from your inflatable watercraft.
- If your inflatable watercraft has a two-layer (bladder/shell) construction or a floor that allows water inside the shell, be sure to drain all the areas where water could be trapped.
- Sponge or towel any water that remains on the watercraft following your draining process.
- Leave your watercraft inflated until it is completely dry.
Be a Pain in the ANS!
How to Clean Fishing Gear
Clean, drain, dry — and disinfect. Anglers should scrub the bottom of boots or waders with a brush and remove all mud, plants, and organic materials in between each and every use. Dispose of these contaminants away from other waters including drains to water systems.
Anglers should then perform one of the following options to disinfect their gear before going into the next body of water or moving to a new stretch of river.
- Disinfect waders and gear with quaternary ammonia cleaner (QAC).
- After cleaning, submerge gear in a tub filled with a solution of 6oz QAC/gallon of water for at least 10 minutes. Follow all precautionary label instructions!
- Rinse water must be from a clean source to avoid re-infection.
- Dispose of the chemical bath properly away from any waters.
- Heat treat your gear by soaking or spraying for 10 minutes with 140o Fahrenheit water.
- Dry your waders and equipment completely for a minimum of 10 days between use.
- Freeze your waders and boots overnight between use.
Video: Angling — Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
How to
Angling — Prevent the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species
Learn how to clean, drain and dry angling gear with Grace, a CPW Invasive Species Program Technician, and Danny Frank, Owner of Colorado Trout Hunters.
Be a Pain in the ANS!
How to Clean Your Scuba Diving Gear
Divers can unintentionally spread freshwater invasive species from one body of water to another with contaminated gear. Some species are invisible to the naked eye and can survive hours to weeks on wet scuba gear or in water inside the equipment. By following these guidelines, you can help prevent the spread of invasive species when you scuba dive.
- Clean off any visible plants, animals and mud from your wetsuit, dry suit, booties, mask, snorkel, fins, buoyancy control device (BC), regulator, cylinder, weight belt, boat, motor and trailer before leaving the water.
- Drain water from your BC, regulators, boots, gloves, snorkel, mask and any other equipment that may hold water before leaving the water.
- Rinse the inside of your BC with hot water (at least 104° Fahrenheit, but not more than 120° F) or salted water (1/2 cup salt dissolved per one gallon water). Immediately follow a salt wash with a freshwater rinse.
- Submerge and wash your suit and other equipment using appropriate cleaning solutions.
- Dry your suit and all equipment completely for at least 24 hours before diving in a different body of water.
Be Part of the Solution!
Be a Pain in the ANS — Underwater!
Join the CPW volunteer scuba diving team.
Volunteer and recreational scuba divers help Colorado Parks and Wildlife each year by performing scientific scuba dives to monitor aquatic nuisance species and search for new invaders.
Motorized Boats, Sailboats and Jetskis
Colorado is a mandatory boat inspection state for motorized boats, sailboats and jet skis. Boaters with these types of watercrafts MUST be inspected by state certified personnel before entering the water in Colorado.