Aquatic invasive species prevention

Grants awarded 2025

Bolton & Menk, Inc. (two projects)

$19,135 to conduct AIS survey training, technical assistance, and early detection. The project will empower lake groups and citizens to conduct their own lake surveys through training with a professional limnologist. Lake groups countywide are encouraged to collect a bucket of plants, snails, or crayfish from their lake for identification by an AIS professional. This grant also assists with the county AIS newsletters and other technical requests throughout the season. Work categories include early detection, education, and research.

$28,520 to conduct a boater observational study when access inspectors are not present at Grays Bay access on Lake Minnetonka. This access sees one of the highest boater use of any public access across the county. Observations are conducted incognito and should obtain a very large sample size to help us better understand how well the public complies with AIS prevention actions and interacts with the access re-design features/tools.

Fish Lake Area Residents Association

$5,000 to conduct AIS inspections and application. Fish Lake Area Residents Association will work with the Three Rivers Park District to provide watercraft inspections at the Fish Lake public access during periods when there is minimal coverage in May and September. This project will provide enough inspection hours to cover the majority of watercraft using this access in 2024. This project will also provide education about how to use a CD3 station to assist outgoing watercraft. Work categories include watercraft inspection and education.

Lake Minnetonka Association

$5,000 to conduct an AIS survey around water accesses on Lake Minnetonka in August. The Lake Minnetonka Association will contract with PLM Services to survey a two-acre or larger area around each of the 16 public and private water accesses on Lake Minnetonka, focusing on the identification of starry stonewort. Work categories include early detection.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

$12,500 for partial funding and replacement of the AIS informational kiosks at Lake Nokomis and Lake Harriet public accesses. Using lessons learned from over a decade of AIS inspections, the kiosks are being re-designed to enhance the engagement and education of park patrons on AIS and self-inspection practices. These are popular lakes for sailing, fishing, recreational boating, and pedestrian traffic expecting 2,500 inspections and engaging 5,500 patrons annually.  Work categories include education and access redesign. 

Nine Mile Creek Watershed District

$10,260 in a partnership with the Watershed District and City of Minnetonka to develop a vegetation management plan for Shady Oake Lake regarding the AIS Brittle Naiad. This species is now identified in five county lakes and potentially at a critical point of spread. The project will conduct an herbicide treatment to reduce its abundance and install educational signage on the work. Work categories include rapid response, early detection, and education.

Waterfront Restoration

$28,593 for an AIS Ambassador education program deploying Watercraft Ambassadors to select lake public accesses across the county promoting boater self-inspections and education to access users. The project focusses on three key objectives: continuing the ambassador program at Surfside Park access on Lake Minnetonka; targeting areas identified with low rates of self-inspection including Long Lake and Cooks Bay (Lake Minnetonka) and expanded ambassador initiative targeting Lake Minnetonka including Halsted Bay, Carsons Bay, and Spring Park Bay to maximize boater and community outreach. Work categories include education and research. 

WaterGuards LLC

$23,400 for a countywide watercraft inspection program that will also focus on a random early season so boaters cannot recognize a coverage pattern, but when time allows to serve as an AIS ambassador providing general AIS education and instruction on the various tools available and re-design features. Their presence will be from fishing opener to Labor Day. Work categories include watercraft inspection and education. 

Grant information

Grants applications are closed. Check back in November 2025 for the next round.

View a flyer about the grant program (PDF).

Eligible recipients

Eligible recipients include:

• Local government agencies, such as cities, watershed organizations and park districts
• Nonprofit organizations
• Public companies and institutions
• Private, for-profit companies

Eligible project activities

Eligible project activities include:

• Early detection
• Pathway analysis
• Education
• Decontamination
• Water access re-design
• Research
• Management
• Other ideas that prevent the introduction or limit the spread of AIS

Funding available

Typical project awards will range from $5,000 to $25,000, with a maximum project award of $50,000. No match required.

Eligible expenses include consulting fees, staff time, materials, supplies, labor, printing and promotions.

Apply

Applications are currently closed. 

Contact

Staff is available to answer questions, offer resources and provide feedback on project ideas.

For more information, contact Tony Brough at tony.brough@hennepin.us or 612-348-4378.

Celebrate all the activities we enjoy in and around Hennepin County lakes while protecting them from aquatic invasive species (AIS). AIS can cause irreparable damage to native fish and plant populations an affect our health, recreation, property values, and the economy.

Join Lake Pledge to learn what you can do to help prevent the spread of AIS in Hennepin County lakes.

The program:

• Is family friendly
• Will help you learn how activities may unintentionally introduce AIS
• Includes short entertaining videos showing Hennepin County lake users taking action to prevent AIS
• Takes just minutes each week to participate

Join Lake Pledge today

• On a computer: lakepledge.com
• On a mobile device: download the Lake Pledge app on Apple’s App Store or Google Play

When you register: select the Hennepin County lake you use most often. When prompted to select the ways that you enjoy time on the water (sailing, fishing, kayaking, etc.) choose everything that applies to any lake in the county.

Video for 4th and 5th grade youth

Hennepin County has created a short video (3 minutes) to help 4th and 5th graders learn more about AIS. Content includes an introduction to what AIS means, an overview of the risk in the environment, common AIS found in stores, and information on what to do with unwanted pets. Please share with partners and educators that work with youth in 4th or 5th grade.

Interactive display available to borrow

A portable interactive display is available to help spread the message about preventing the introduction of aquatic invasive species throughout Hennepin County. Display creation was funded through a Hennepin County aquatic invasive species prevention grant. The display features realistic models with a landscape containing boats and buildings as representations of pathways of aquatic invasive species, including lesser-known sources such as garden centers and pet stores.

To borrow the display or get details to create your own, contact Tony Brough at tony.brough@hennepin.us.

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) infestations can occur as a result of the accidental release of water garden plants and animals. Introducing animals and plants from your business into the ecosystems in Minnesota can cause harm to our lakes, streams and wetlands.

The following training and resources will teach you how pet stores and garden centers can introduce AIS and what staff can do to prevent it. Join pet stores and garden centers by committing to protect Minnesota waters from AIS.

Take a short training

Watch this four-minute video training and take the short quiz to earn your AIS prevention course certificate of completion. This video is intended for store owners, managers, and staff at garden centers and pet stores.

Take the quiz and pledge to prevent the spread of AIS. You will receive a certificate upon completion.

AIS disposal guidelines

Garden center and nursery disposal guidelines for water garden plants and animals

Print these guidelines (PDF).

• Inspect and rinse new water garden plants to rid them of seeds, plant fragments, snails and small animals. Rinse into sink, on a vegetated area, or into container where water can’t drain to storm sewers. Strain out any sediment, plant fragments and small animals and seal in a plastic bag, freeze for 24 hours and dispose of in the trash.
• Make sure that display water gardens are isolated from natural waterways, wetlands and areas that flood.
• Drain water in the sink through a strainer or on dry land where water can’t flow to storm drains, ditches, wetlands, streams, or other surface waters when cleaning or emptying display water gardens and aquatic plant containers.
• Over-winter plants for next season if possible.
• Freeze unwanted plants for 24 hours in a sealed plastic bag, or heat in a microwave and then dispose in trash. Composting should be avoided, as seeds and fragments may still grow.
• Dispose of nonviable prohibited invasive species and aquatic plants at a legal site at least 300 feet from any water body or seasonally flooded land.
• Provide information to your customers on proper disposal of unwanted plants.

Pet store disposal guidelines for aquatic plants and animals

Print these guidelines (PDF).

• Filter out plant fragments, snails, eggs or other small living species from aquarium water using a strainer or small mesh net before disposing of water down the drain.
• Prevent plants and plant parts, seeds, animals and aquarium or rinse water, from reaching storm drains.
• Inspect and rinse new aquatic plants into a sink with a strainer, to rid them of seeds, fragments, snails and fish.
• Freeze unwanted plants for 24 hours in a plastic bag, or heat in a microwave and then place in the trash. Composting should be avoided, as seeds and fragments may still grow.
• Make sure plants and animals cannot escape or are not released into the environment.
• Provide information to your customers on proper disposal of unwanted plants and animals.
• Follow guidelines for humanely euthanizing unwanted live fish and animals. Guidelines are available through the American Veterinary Medical Association. Disposal of live organisms should be considered as the last resort.

Resources for pet and garden stores

Print and post these resources in your store or workplace for employee reference.

• Prevention tips for garden center and pet store staff (PDF)
• Invasive plants and animals in pet stores poster (PDF)
• Invasive plants and animals in garden stores poster (PDF)

Sign up for the Responsible Buyers email list from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to stay up to date on new information.

Reference materials

• Trade pathways for invasive species. Information from the Minnesota DNR on AIS specific to pet stores, the horticultural industry, and other businesses.
• Prohibited and regulated invasive species list. The most up-to-date list of prohibited and regulated invasive species and invasive species laws from the Minnesota DNR.
• Invasive species information sheets from the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network.
• Auctions and take-back programs from the Minnesota Aquarium Society.
• Goldfish and Koi rescue and sales events from the Minnesota Water Garden Society

Public accesses redesign for improved AIS compliance rates 

In 2012, the county piloted a project to re-design the North Arm public access on Lake Minnetonka using strategies grounded in behavior change psychology for AIS prevention actions. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, 21 county accesses have now implemented at least one behavior change strategy. Work with these 21 accesses includes partnering with 15 different access administrators.

The county’s behavior change strategies at water accesses include: 

• CD3 waterless cleaning system, which provides the tools to facilitate the actions.
• Pavement markings to influence traffic flow.
• Designated locations to take AIS prevention measures.
• Signs to prompt the desired behaviors. 

Key takeaways from this work include improved compliance rates and self-inspection rates and that these strategies can be a cost-effective way to help prevent the spread of AIS.

This work can often be accomplished in partnership with county staff. If you interested in discussing how behavior change strategies could be incorporated into your access, contact Tony Brough at 612-348-4378.

• Access redesign results report form 2018 (PDF, 583 KB)
• Redesigned water access entrance (JPG, 3,883 KB)
• Redesigned water access exit (JPG, 2,980 KB)

AIS Prevention Aid Guidelines 2020–2025

Hennepin County has received funding from the State of Minnesota since 2014 to implement plans to stop the introduction or limit the spread of AIS. To receive funding, the county established guidelines for the use of the proceeds.

In 2019, adjustments were made to the county’s AIS prevention aid guidelines to direct the use of funds received 2020 through 2025. During these updates, county staff engaged more than 60 stakeholders in evaluating the county’s AIS prevention programs, guidelines and funding options. Learn more about the evaluation by reading the Aquatic Invasive Species Program Evaluation Report (PDF).

Changes to the 2020-2025 guidelines included:

• Updating the goals to reflect the Natural Resources Strategic Plan
• Defining the county’s best practices for public water access design
• Emphasizing unpredictability in inspections
• Setting funding by category goals to ensure the program is comprehensive
• Funding of core program functions of enforcement at public water accesses and public access redesign project outside of a grant solicitation process to help partners with long-term planning and streamline administrative tasks to implement public access redesign work.

See the 2020-2025 AIS Prevention Aid Guidelines (PDF) to learn more.

Accomplishments report

The accomplishments report highlights how Hennepin County is using the state funding and the results of the projects we support. See the 2024 AIS prevention program accomplishments report (PDF).

Watercraft inspection programs

Watercraft inspectors/ambassadors provide a one-on-one interaction with those using our county lakes. Each year $100,000 is contracted to expand existing countywide watercraft inspection programs and in 2023 two pass-through grants were also awarded. Below are the end-of-the year reports that were provided.

• Christmas Lake program report (PDF, 239 KB)
• Three Rivers Park District watercraft inspection program report (PDF, 534 KB)
• Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board inspection report (PDF, 81 KB)
• Waterfront Restoration education and observation report (PDF, 1,041 KB)

Lake public access observations

This project is part of an effort to identify and manage pathways for the introduction and spread of invasive species into and within Hennepin County. The purpose of this project is to conduct observation research of aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention behavior for those using public lake accesses in Hennepin County.

See the 2020 lake public access observations for Aquatic Invasive Species prevention behaviors report (PDF).

CD3 usage data

In 2022, Hennepin County partnered with HCI Hughes Company Innovations to analyze past and current data of CD3 stations for better operation and decision-making. Review a summary of the findings for more information (PDF).

Hennepin County Sheriff's Office AIS enforcement

New in 2024, Hennepin County Environment and Energy partnered with the Hennepin County Water Patrol to conduct extra AIS enforcement countywide. Several deputies were trained by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officers and worked to enforce AIS laws throughout the county. This extra enforcement occurred when access inspectors were not present and were conducted at random times and locations. 

The following citations were issued:

• 2 – Prohibited transport of aquatic macrophytes (plants)
• 1 – Failure to remove/open drain plug/other devices while transporting

The following verbal warnings were issued:

• 20 – Prohibited transport of aquatic macrophytes (plants)
• 6 – Failure to remove/open drain plug/other devices while transporting
• 1 – Enter or attempt to enter access with invasive species attached
• 2 – Failure to drain water-related equipment before transport

Hennepin County Sherriff’s Office enforcement report (PDF, 73 KB)

AIS prevention behaviors at river accesses

Hennepin County partnered with Bolton & Menk in 2022 to conduct observations at five public river accesses in Hennepin County to determine the extent of AIS prevention behavior of those using the accesses. Read the report (PDF) to learn more.   

Youth use advocacy to advance AIS efforts

Partnering with the Friends of the Mississippi River organization, a county grant helped to bring the important issue of invasive carp center stage with high school youth in the Environmental Stewardship Institute. This issue gave them an opportunity to participate firsthand in advocacy. For many participants, this was the first time they had ever done anything like this, and they were both challenged and empowered by this work.
Accomplishments of this project include:

• Played a part in the approval of $12 million in funding for carp deterrent south of the metro area by the Minnesota Legislature
• Created infographics, a slide show, and social media posts about invasive carp
• Created and hosted an art workshop related to invasive carp
• Participated in Lake Phalen WaterFest, Longfellow River Gorge Festival, and Youth Climate Justice summit reaching approximately 375 people

Friends of the Mississippi River program report (PDF, 8,117 KB)

AIS in pet stores and garden centers

In 2021, we partnered with Fortin Consulting, Inc. to inspect retail pet stores and garden centers for aquatic invasive species (AIS) as a potential pathway for spreading AIS to Minnesota lakes and streams. Read the report (PDF) to learn more.

Lake Minnetonka early detection survey

An early detection survey with a focus on Starry Stonewort was conducted on Lake Minnetonka in partnership with the Lake Minnetonka Association and PLM Lake & Land Management Corp in 2023. County funding was utilized to survey seven public water accesses, four working accesses, and five private water access sites. These surveys were then combined with plant surveys directed by the Lake Minnetonka Association, resulting in more than 1,700 site surveys throughout Lake Minnetonka. The good news is that no Starry Stonewort was identified in these surveys. Read the PLM Lake & Land Management Corp site survey report (PDF, 2,142 KB) for details. 

Lakes with limited access study

Hennepin County funded Fortin Consulting to survey 13 lakes and ponds without public boat access for the presence of aquatic invasive species. At least one aquatic invasive species was found in each of these waters, including curly-leaf pondweed, Chinese and banded mystery snails, and invasive carp and goldfish. The results from these surveys show AIS can spread into lakes without public boat accesses. These results highlight that efforts for prevention need to extend to multiple pathways. Read the full assessing the risk of AIS in waters with no public access report (PDF) to learn more. 

Invasive goldfish study

In 2020, we partnered with the Nine Mile Creek Watershed District to assess the goldfish population and movement in Lake Cornelia system. Goldfish up to 16 inches in length were captured during this study and it was estimated that 27,472 goldfish exist in North Cornelia alone. Goldfish were recently added to the priority list for investigation and the county is on the leading edge of this work. Antennas were installed to monitor the movements of tagged goldfish to identify recruitment locations. Read the full invasive goldfish population and inter-waterbody movement assessment (PDF) to learn more.

Medicine Lake AIS aerial early detection pilot

In 2020, we partnered with HCI Hughes Company Innovations to conduct an innovative Aquatic Invasive Species early detection project utilizing an industrial drone. The drone was equipped with high-resolution optical and multispectral sensors and mapped approximately 50 acres on Medicine Lake. The area mapped was known to have three aquatic invasive species including Starry Stonewort. Read the analysis and findings (PDF) to learn more.

Submersed jets to minimize vegetation at water access

In partnership with the University of Minnesota St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, research was completed in November 2023 to measure the effectiveness of submersed jets. These water jets can move surface water with the goal of minimizing invasive species directly at the access. Findings showed that most (67%) observations found less mass of suspended vegetation fragments with the jet operating.

Submersed jet report (PDF, 3 MB)

Social media partnerships

In addition to ongoing posts on Hennepin Environment and Energy’s social media accounts, two social media partnerships were funded in 2023. Up to 18 other counties also partnered in these social media campaigns. 

• Angling Buzz 2023 campaign results (PDF, 117 KB)
• Minnesota Traditions 2023 report slide deck (PDF, 2,045 KB)