What Happens During a Boat Decontamination?
To kill and remove mussels and other aquatic nuisance species:
- Boats are decontaminated using hot water 120º–140º 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.
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Decontaminate Your Boat
Boaters can easily transport invasive species and are required by law to Clean, Drain, and Dry their boat, trailer and equipment every time they enter or exit any waters.
- Boaters are also required to remove all water drain plugs before transport. 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. Plant material, mud and other debris routinely 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 trailer, including axel and wheel areas - in and around the boat itself: anchor, props and jet engines, ropes, boat bumpers, paddles.
- Clean, check and dry off all parts and equipment that came in contact with water.
- Empty bait buckets into 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.
- Eurasian water milfoil and zebra mussels: Rinse with high pressure hot water (above 104 degrees), or salt water.
- New Zealand Mudsnails: Soak in a 1:1 solution of Formula 409 and water for 5 minutes, rinse in clean water, air dry out of direct sunlight
- Whirling Disease: Soak in a 1:5 solution of bleach and water for 5 minutes, rinse in clean water, air dry out of direct sunlight.
- 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, etc.
- Allow everything to completely dry before launching into another body of water.