MISG

Michigan Invasive Species Grant (MISG) Project

In 2022, Schoolcraft Conservation District (SCD) was awarded a Michigan Invasive Species Grant (MISG) to support aquatic invasive species (AIS) control efforts in Schoolcraft and Delta Counties through boater outreach and boat decontaminations. SCD works almost exclusively within the borders of Schoolcraft County, but some high traffic boat launches in Delta County were included to target AIS in Lake Michigan. The grant, jointly overseen by the Michigan DNR, MDARD, and EGLE, included funds to hire a seasonal field crew for the 2024 and 2025 boating seasons and purchase a trailer-mounted heated pressure washer for use in decontaminating boats.

The Issue

Aquatic invasive species pose a significant risk to the Great Lakes and the UP’s inland waterbodies. Invasive plants like Eurasian Watermilfoil and curly leaf pondweed can form thick mats on the water’s surface, blocking sunlight and making recreation difficult. Zebra and quagga mussels can block pipes and accumulate on other equipment, causing significant economic damage. Invasive crayfish, fish, zooplankton, and other animals can disrupt food chains and other aspects of natural ecosystems.

They can also be expensive. For example, damages from zebra mussels to industrial water intakes in the Great Lakes region are estimated to cost $300-500 million annually.

Our Work

A significant portion of AIS spread is due to watercraft moving between bodies of water without being cleaned or dried in between. For this reason, our field crew spent the summers of 2024 and 2025 covering 20 different launches in Schoolcraft and Delta Counties, talking to boaters about the importance of cleaning, draining, and drying their watercraft. Our pressure washer was also rotated between the launches for use in decontaminating boats; the heated water kills most invasive species, such as plant debris, that may be clinging to watercraft.

Our Message

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CLEAN
boats, trailers, and equipment and remove all mud, debris, and plant matter before launching or retrieving a watercraft

DRAIN
live wells, bilges, ballast tanks, and all water from boats before leaving access site

DRY
all boats and equipment thoroughly between uses

DISPOSE
of bait in the trash; do not release into the water

Project Coverage Area

21 boat launches

10 waterbodies

Map icons indicate the launches covered in our outreach and decontamination work. Orange icons indicate launches where cleaning stations were/will be installed.

The final phase of our MISG project will involve installing cleaning stations at ten of the busiest and/or highest risk boat launches among those we covered. These stations will include signage reminding launch users or AIS prevention steps and Michigan boating laws*; and tools such as plant grabbers, drainage wrenches, and brushes that can be used to clean watercraft prior to launch and after retrieval. Cleaning stations will be installed by the 2026 boating season at the following launches: Colwell Lake, Dodge Lake, Gulliver Lake, Indian Lake State Park, Manistique and McDonald Lake in Schoolcraft County; and Kipling, North Shore, Ogontz, and Rapid River in Delta County.

*It's against Michigan law to 1.) launch or transport watercraft or trailers unless they are free of aquatic organisms, including plants, 2.) transport watercraft without removing all drain plugs and draining all water from bilges, ballast tanks, and live wells, and 3.) release bait into the water.