Christmas Lake may require boat decontamination

A Twin Cities area lake could be the first in the state to require decontamination of all boats before entering the lake.

The project was spurred by recent work by the state Department of Natural Resources, which used chemicals to kill zebra mussels in a small area of Christmas Lake, in the city of Shorewood.

It appears the treatment was successful, but researchers won't be sure for a couple of years, Christmas Lake Association President Joe Shneider said.

The lake association wants to require decontamination of all boats entering Christmas Lake because protecting the lake would help ensure the zebra mussel treatment is successful, Shneider said.

"The lake is clearly at risk. It's in the middle of a research project. Every boat that comes in is a risk," he said "And we would like to take as aggressive an approach as possible, and that would be decontaminating every boat coming in."

Shneider said local officials will present the pilot project requiring boat decontamination to the DNR for approval next week.

Because of the recent treatment, Shneider said, the lake is in an ideal situation to try mandatory boat cleaning.

"We can do things to test procedures and approaches that I think will provide really great lessons as more and more aggressive lake protection is done throughout Minnesota," he said.

A DNR official declined to comment on the proposed pilot project. But state law gives the DNR commissioner authority to sign agreements with local governments for boat inspections and decontamination.

According to Shneider, an average of nine boats a day use the Christmas Lake access, which is staffed full time by an aquatic invasive species inspector.

Shneider said Shorewood has an agreement for local officials to manage boat inspection at the lake access. But it would need to be amended to allow mandatory cleaning of all boats.

He said the lake association already owns decontamination equipment but local dollars would be used to fund the project.