Invasive species cropping up again in Washington
JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 years, 4 months AGO
Inspectors look over a boat at the Clarkston boat check station. The WDFW is asking boaters to take careful steps to prevent invasive species from gaining a toehold in the state.
COURTESY PHOTO/WDFW
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | May 4, 2023 4:22 PM
SPOKANE — The boating season is officially underway in Washington state. To keep lakes, rivers, and other water bodies clean and beautiful, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking the public to take a few simple steps when launching boats or other vessels this season, according to a press release from the department.
The invasive species zebra mussels and quagga mussels are of particular concern, according to the WDFW. They clog pipes and mechanical systems of industrial plants, dams, water systems, utilities, locks, and hatcheries. The department’s enforcement program checks vessels for signs of those species and also for noxious non-native weeds, the release said.
To keep unwanted species from making a home in Washington, drivers are required by law to stop at one of WDFW’s four watercraft check stations when transporting a watercraft if it’s on the road they are traveling, according to the release. All vessels, from powerboats to kayaks to paddleboards must be checked. The inspection takes only a few minutes, the release said.
“Invasive mussels haven’t taken hold in Washington yet, and the Columbia River is the last major United States river that has not been impacted. But, it only takes one boat to ruin that,” wrote Captain Eric Anderson, WDFW aquatic invasive species enforcement program lead, in the release. “Efforts by WDFW and partners including irrigators, public utilities, and the boating industry have been successful in preventing the spread of these species to Washington to date.”
Watercraft check stations are clearly posted and located on Interstate 90 near the Washington-Idaho border and near Cle Elum. There is also one on U.S. 395 near the Tri-Cities, and another near the Port of Clarkston.
In addition to checking watercraft before going into the water, WDFW asks boat owners to:
• Clean, drain, and dry watercraft after removing them from the water
• Clean all equipment – waders, life vests, boat hulls and engines, trailers and other gear – by removing plants, algae or mud.
• Drain accumulated water back into the waterbody from which it came.
• Rinse all surfaces with potable water and let boats and gear fully dry before using them again
“Cleaning your boat, kayak or other watercraft now could mean less money spent later to eradicate invasive species that take hold,” wrote Justin Bush, executive coordinator for the Washington Invasive Species Council, in the release. “If we prevent them from establishing in Washington, then they won’t harm our native fish, restrict our recreation, or damage our shipping, hydropower, flood control and irrigation industries.”
More information on Washington invasive species can be found at InvasiveSpecies.wa.gov.
ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN
Quincy National Night Out scales down
QUINCY — Quincy’s National Night Out was more compact this year, which worked out well, said QPD Sgt. Joe Westby, who’s in charge of event planning for the Quincy Police Department. “National Night Out is a big event, and the fact that we’re able to shrink it up is like a breath of fresh air,” Westby said. “If you're always doing the same thing, it's kind of nice to switch things up and see how it works.” National Night Out took place Thursday on the block of C Street next to the police station, a shift from previous years when it was held at Lauzier Park. The smaller space meant fewer emergency vehicles for children to explore, but it also meant less walking for attendees. Grant County Fire District 5 brought a fire truck, and the Grant County Sheriff’s Office had a patrol boat. Renew, the Grant County behavioral health agency, had a booth and so did Quincy Partnership for Youth. Veterans Operation Creation sang the national anthem, and the Quincy Animal Shelter brought kittens that piled over each other making friends with passersby. As before, the QPD served grilled hot dogs.
Quincy Police retirements leave big shoes to fill
QUINCY — There are some big shoes to fill at the Quincy Police Department. “We’re losing 48 years of experience between them,” Quincy Police Chief Ryan Green said at the retirement party for Capt. Jorge Trujillo and Det. Damon Powell Thursday. Trujillo, who grew up in Sunnyside, has been with QPD for 19 years, he said, coming on as a patrol officer fresh out of the military. From there he served as a field training officer, a detective and finally captain. “I consider him my left-hand man,” Green said. “He runs the operations side of the house … He knows the agency very well, and he knows the community.” Trujillo has some projects around the house to tackle now that he’s retired, he said.
Big fun on a small scale
Wheat Land Communities’ Fair opens Thursday
RITZVILLE — The Wheat Land Communities’ Fair isn’t as big or as flashy as some of the county fairs around central Washington, but the folks who keep it going like it just the way it is. “It’s somewhere you can go and get an old-time traditional feeling, and you’re comfortable letting your kids roam the grounds and experience all that it has to offer,” said Board Member Lori Williams. “It’s more of a feeling than (one) specific thing,” The fair starts Thursday in Ritzville and runs through Sunday. Starting Friday, the 56th Ritzville Rodeo will take place alongside the fair at the rodeo grounds. This year the entertainment budget was expanded, Williams said, to be able to offer more fun that’s covered by the cost of admission. For the kids, there’s face painting, balloon art, Lego crafts, races, contests and games. Children can also ride on a little train towed around the fairgrounds behind a tractor.