Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are organisms that have been introduced into ecosystems that are not originally within their natural range. They often cause harm to their nonnative ecosystems as well as impact human uses that depend on these environments. To see what Aquatic Invasive Species are currently present in Le Sueur County, click on the link to review the Minnesota DNR’s infested waters list. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html
Each year the State of Minnesota delegates 10 million dollars to counties to assist with Aquatic Invasive Species prevention. The funds that are received by each county are dependent on the watercraft launches and parking spaces that are available to the public. If counties elect to utilize AIS funds, they are required to develop an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Plan to describe how the funds will be used. Some examples of what AIS funds can used for include the following: watercraft inspections, education and outreach events, educational materials, promotional items, studies and research, mechanical treatments, herbicide treatments, advertisements, rapid response, etc.
If you would like additional information on Aquatic Invasive Species in Minnesota, please click on the following link: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/index.html