Martha Marx

January 16, 2025

AS INVASIVE SPECIES REACH SALEM’S GARDNER LAKE, SENATOR MARX INTRODUCES BILL TO CREATE BOAT WASHING STATION PILOT PROGRAM

Following reports in summer and autumn 2024 that the invasive aquatic plant species Hydrilla reached Gardner Lake State Park in Salem, leading to significant localized pollution and impacting local ecosystems, and following the plant’s increased presence in waterways around the state, State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London) introduced legislation to create a new pilot program at the state park to fight spread of invasive species.

The bill, if passed, would create a pilot program for the creation of boat washing stations at the lake. That would allow local boaters to utilize high-pressure hot water or compressed air to clear their vessels before or after boating in the lake.

“For years, Connecticut has worked to educate and inform the public about the dangers and impacts aquatic invasive species can have on our state’s waterways, but as they continue to spread, there’s more we can do,” said Sen. Marx. “Washing stations for boats are a simple and effective way to prevent hydrilla and other invasive species from spreading to further bodies of water throughout our state. We can achieve progress in the fight against these species and, once the pilot program is inevitably successful, further its use to waterways across Connecticut.”

Such stations have been implemented in other locations, including New York state’s Adirondack region, utilizing water or air to decontaminate vessels or ensure their cleanliness without causing damage to boats, their components, or any associated equipment.

As the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends the “clean, drain, dry” approach to fighting aquatic invasive species – cleaning off all equipment, draining water from water-containing devices of a boat and drying the boat for at least five days or wiping it before next use – installation of boat washing stations can play a strong role in furthering the fight against invasive species.

These stations have been implemented in additional regions to battle aquatic species. For instance, in May 2024, Washington’s Olympic National Park introduced boat washing stations at two lakes within the park to fight invasive New Zealand mudsnails and Asian clams.