Morrison County AIS Plan

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are threatening Minnesota waters including Lake Sullivan. These nonnative species have the potential to harm fish populations, water quality, and water recreation. The 2014 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Plan for Morrison County outlines the efforts that Morrison County will undertake to help prevent the spread of harmful AIS within Minnesota.

AIS are an emerging issue within Morrison County. Few waters within the County are infested with invasive species at this time so the County has a unique opportunity to implement some prevention strategies to protect the waters within Morrison County. The Comprehensive Water Plan identifies efforts lake associations and lake improvement districts have made to treat invasives and the importance of that work. As the Water Plan is revised in 2015, AIS will undoubtedly have more of a presence within the plan.

The impetus of this plan has come from the 2014 allotment of the Aquatic Species Prevention Aid. These first steps into AIS prevention include ground level education of likely users of Morrison County’s water resources as well as a bolstering of the ongoing efforts many lake associations/improvement districts have already undertaken, as well as the inspections the Department of Natural Resources provides within Morrison County, and the services provided by the Permitted Lake Service Providers.

Click here to view the 2014 Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Plan for Morrison County.