Early Detection Program
“Eyes on the Water” is the Hubbard County COLA volunteer program for early detection of aquatic invasive species. Every lakeshore owner is a potential first responder.
Every aquatic invasive infestation in Minnesota started with a single plant or a handful of veligers no one noticed. The earlier an AIS is found, the more management options remain: hand-pulling, targeted herbicide, mechanical removal. Wait two seasons and those options collapse to one — learn to live with it.
That is what makes resident eyes on the water so valuable. A paid surveyor visits Grace Lake once, maybe twice a year. You are out there every weekend, often every day.
Curly-leaf pondweed was recovered by MN DNR fisheries during a routine gill-net survey in the southeast bay. A single fragment. The Association and Limnopro scientists believe the plant had been present for at least one prior growing season but went undetected because the summer survey window misses CLP’s spring peak. Had a resident spotted it in April or May of 2024 or 2025, we’d know its full extent a year earlier.
Within 30 miles of Grace Lake, MN DNR has already confirmed populations of four major aquatic invasive species. These are the ones most likely to arrive next:
Potamogeton crispus · confirmed in Grace Lake 2025
Oblong, wavy-edged leaves like a lasagna noodle. Rounded tips, fine teeth along the margin, alternating along a reddish stem. Peaks in May–early June, dies back by early July. Full ID guide →
Myriophyllum spicatum · 9 sites within 30 miles
Feather-like leaves in whorls of 3–4 around the stem, each leaflet with 12–24 pairs of thread-like segments. Forms dense surface mats by mid-summer. Often confused with the native northern watermilfoil.
Nitellopsis obtusa · 20 sites within 30 miles
Looks like a bright green, branching alga but is actually a macroalga. Forms tall, dense underwater “meadows” that displace native plants and fill swimming areas. Tiny star-shaped bulbils at the nodes are the giveaway.
Dreissena polymorpha · 71 sites within 30 miles
Small (quarter-inch to 1.5-inch) striped mussels that attach to any hard surface — rocks, docks, boat hulls, water intakes. Larval veligers are microscopic. If you spot adult mussels clinging to anything you pull out of the lake, report it immediately.
A wide shot showing the whole plant, plus a close-up of the leaf or structure. Submerged specimens can be held up out of the water or placed in a shallow white tray.
GPS coordinates if your phone can drop a pin, or nearest landmark and approximate depth. A single plant fragment with good location data is far more useful than a bag of plants without.
Send photos and location to the Association through the contact form, or log it yourself to EDDMapS — the national Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System.
Detection is only half the program. The other half is not bringing AIS here in the first place. Grace Lake is within 30 miles of confirmed populations of all four species above, and the same boats and trailers that visit those lakes visit ours.
Remove any visible plants, animals, or mud from your boat, trailer, and equipment before leaving the landing. Look especially at live wells, bilge, and anchor lines.
Drain live wells, bilge, motor cooling water, and any bait buckets at the landing — before transport. Minnesota law requires drain plugs to be out during transit.
Let your boat dry for at least five days before launching in another lake. Veligers and plant fragments can survive in standing water for surprisingly long.
The Association funds trained inspectors at the public landing during peak season. If you’re interested in volunteering as an inspector, reach out to Rick Black — see the contact page.
Rick Black is setting up additional boat-inspector training this spring. If you have a few weekend hours to give — whether for your own boat launches or scheduled shifts at the public access — your help extends the hours the landing is covered and directly reduces the risk of a new AIS introduction.