Stop Starry - Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention

Stop Starry Stonewort Program

Minnesota loves lakes!

  As a land with over 10,000 of them, Minnesotans have taken to a variety of water hobbies: fishing, boating, water skiing, wake surfing, jet skiing, water tubing, and swimming. With so many gorgeous bodies of water to choose from, Minnesotans spend a lot of time on the water. 

Yuck! Starry stonewort can grow two to 22 feet deep, forming dense, impenetrable and tangled matts quickly overwhelming native vegetation and making navigation impossible.

Unfortunately, many of our lakes have become infested with an Aquatic Invasive Species, (AIS) - starry stonewort. This invasive prefers peak water quality, and can quickly overrun the lake’s natural environment, matting the surface with a thick and heavy layer of impenetrable algae. 

This AIS overwhelms aquatic ecosystems, and quickly drowns out native flora and fauna. A lack of sunlight affects fish health and water oxygen levels, while simultaneously creating a green, smelly, and crowded lake that can no longer be enjoyed by Minnesota residents. 

Starry patch with dock in the background: Starry concentrates near shore, preventing swimming and fishing. It can also wrap in boat drives and jets, making navigation impossible.

Fish and Waters Conservation Fund, in partnership with Minnesota Lakes and Rivers Advocates and the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, (ENRTF) has a plan to stop the spread of Starry Stonewort and preserve water quality for the people of Minnesota.

The ENTRF funded our plan to install CD3 Waterless Cleaning Stations at all boat ramps of infested lakes so that users have the tools they need to fully Clean, Drain and Dry after each use to ensure Starry Stonewort does not cross-contaminate and invade other aquatic ecosystems. 

Unfortunately, this summer, after the grant was awarded, three more waterbodies were discovered to have starry stonewort, Leech, Pumuish and the Mississippi River. WE ARE SEEKING FUNDS SO THAT WE CAN FULLY SHIELD MINNESOTA’S UN-INFESTED LAKES FROM STARRY STONEWORT

Current management techniques to control Starry Stonewort infested waters are quite costly, running Lake Koronis over$200,000 annually. (View our video below for more information about Lake Koronis and Stop Starry Stonewort efforts) 

Our best course of action, to save millions of dollars statewide and to protect our natural ecosystems, is to prevent the spread of Starry Stonewort in the first place through the use of CD3 Waterless Cleaning Stations. 

This shielding strategy will help protect the lakes you love.

You can help us today by donating to our cause of STOP STARRY STONEWORT.

We hope to have CD3 Stations installed near every Starry Stonewort infected lake by the beginning of boating season, Spring 2022. 

Thank you for your donation toward the protection of Minnesota’s lakes!