The Snake River Fund continues to take a leadership role in combating the spread of invasive species. This marks the third year of the Fund’s drive to educate the public and help coordinate policy to protect our pristine resource.

Assisting us in this effort is the formation of a region-wide working group with all of the agencies charged with managing the watershed, as well as nonprofits and businesses such as Trout Unlimited, Patagonia and High Country Flies.

The Fund has worked with this group to draft a comprehensive strategy to prevent the spread of aquatic invasives into the Snake River. Grand Teton National Park is set to adopt a new policy, for instance, by which boat owners must certify that their crafts either have not been used in infested states or have been properly cleaned.

Last year Teton Conservation District and Teton County Weed and Pest funded a survey by Portland State University to detect nuisance species in the Snake River. Researchers tested six lakes and 22 river access sites for invasives such as New Zealand mud snails, zebra and quagga mussels, tamarisk and Eurasian milfoil – all of which have harmed streams elsewhere in the U.S.

“None of these target species were detected, but continued surveillance is required to ensure early detection of new invaders that can enter Teton County from nearby infested areas,” the study concluded.

A different study conducted by the University of Wyoming in Grand Teton National Park last year found another invasive species – didymo, an algae commonly called “rock snot” - in Lake Creek, Fish Creek and the outlets of Taggart, Jenny, Phelps and Leigh lakes. There is some debate about whether didymo naturally grows in this area, but if unchecked the algae can bloom in large mats and take over stream bottoms; in New Zealand, rivers have been decimated and ultimately closed to fishing.

Marley Vaughn, the Fund’s executive director, is taking a cautious approach and says didymo is worth monitoring.

Overall, “We’re looking pretty clean,” Vaughn says. “The challenge ahead of us is to prevent introduction of these species.”

The interagency working group is applying for grants that would fund personnel at access points along all stretches of the Snake River, to inform the public of the hazards and ensure that boats are properly treated before entering the river.

The National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service are participating in the working group.

Partnering with the Forest Service, the Snake River Fund has set up scrub stations at nearly every boat ramp between Wilson and Sheep Gulch. Last summer at Pritchard Creek, we also installed the first of three solar-powered pressure washers funded by a 1 Percent for the Tetons grant.

Boaters who travel to other watersheds this spring should take precautions before launching their vessels into the Snake.

The scrub stations have tanks of fresh water and brushes for washing waders, booties, kayak bottoms and other fishing gear. Felt-soled boots are particularly susceptible to transplanting algae and other invasive species.

River users should do the following upon leaving a body of water:

• Remove any visible mud, plants, fish or animals before transporting equipment.
• Eliminate water from equipment before transporting.
• Clean and dry anything that comes into contact with water (boats, trailers, equipment, clothing, dogs, etc.).
• Never release plants, fish or animals into a body of water unless they came out of that body of water.

Filed under: Snake River Fund News, Watershed News on February 24th, 2009