County mulls request for invasive species funds

Flathead County commissioners are considering a request to contribute $10,000 during the next two years to an education and outreach effort related to aquatic invasive species.

Caryn Miske, executive director of the Flathead Basin Commission, recently asked commissioners for the cash.

Miske has been working with various government entities and private organizations to secure money for a campaign to keep invasive species out of Flathead Lake.

Earlier this year, the state Legislature allocated more money to address aquatic invasive species issues, Miske said, but fewer boat inspection stations are operating this year than in past years. Boats are inspected for the presence of mussels and invasive weeds at those stations. If undesirable species are discovered, the boats aren’t allowed in Montana waters.

The four stations on Montana’s borders are each open 40 or fewer hours a week, she said. Meanwhile, more boats from other states are being launched on lakes in Montana.

An inspection station on U.S. 93 near Ronan is open about 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Forest Service has agreed to fund an inspection station at Clearwater Junction, but that station isn’t up and running, Miske said. The plan is to have it open for next summer’s boat season.

Originally, the station was to operate this summer, she said, but Miske was told that “they had trouble finding people to staff it.”

In addition to the check stations, three roving inspectors work throughout the Flathead Basin. But Miske thinks more effort needs to be concentrated on boat inspection.

“The concern is at a time when our borders are more porous, we’re getting more boats in Montana,” she said.

“We have very little money for education and outreach,” she added. “We need education to complement inspection efforts.”

Miske’s group is developing a rapid response plan to deal with any emergency infestation issues in the Flathead Basin. Her goal is to then have the state modify the local plan and implement a statewide rapid response plan.

The continuing problem Miske faces is a lack of funding to address invasive species.

“There’s no one source we can get money from,” she told commissioners.

So her group is seeking donations from government entities and various organizations to pay for the local rapid response plan.

She has already received funding commitments from Lake County, the Flathead Lakers and her own organization. Representatives of those three entities have created a review committee to oversee the work and approve all expenditures, Miske said.

County Commissioner Dale Lauman said it’s “critical” that people lobby their local legislators for a statewide effort to keep invasive species out of Montana’s water.

He supports a model such as is in place in Idaho, with inspection stations at nearly all highway entrances to the state.

Lauman doesn’t think “a sense of urgency” exists regarding aquatic invasive species because Montana’s waters aren’t terribly infested. But, he says, “it may not be here today, but it could be tomorrow.”

Reporter Shelley Ridenour may be reached at 758-4439 or by email at sridenour@dailyinterlake.com.