Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)

Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are a serious threat to the health of our lakes, recreational opportunities like boating and fishing enjoyed by many community members and visitors alike, and tourism-related businesses and services. They also threaten both the financial investments and time commitments that governmental agencies and many residents have made to improve lake water quality and habitat.
If you suspect a new infestation of an aquatic invasive plant or animal, please follow the steps shown below:

Collect the specimen and store in a cool environment free of contamination (e.g., cooler, plastic bag).
Grab a piece of paper or write directly on the plastic bag.
Record the exact location. Coordinates are preferred which you can retrieve from Google Maps or a similar web mapping application. Also note the date and time of the finding.
Take at least one photo of the specimen (multiple preferred with different angles and high focus).
Contact the AIS specialist in your region or the SWCD.
You can also contact an AIS specialist if you need information about the following permits:

Prohibited Invasive Species Permits
Infested Waters Permits
Invasive Aquatic Plan Management Permits

Contacts:
Central Region DNR AIS Specialist
Christine Jurek: 320-223-7847

Assistant AIS Specialist
Emelia Hauck Jacobs: 320-223-7855

SWCD Water Resource Specialist
Dan Cibulka: 763-220-3434 x 103

Quick Links

Sherburne County
Infested Waters

To find out if your favorite water body is infested click here to visit the DNR infested waters page.

In 2014 the MN legislature recognized that success in Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) efforts would require the combination of local, state, and federal agencies. As such, on May 20th, 2014 the MN legislature leveraged local energy by creating the AIS prevention fund [Chapter 308, HF3167: Omnibus tax bill. Article 1: Property Tax Aids and Credits. Section 11]. This fund distributes $10 million annually at the county level. The bill specifically states that the proceeds must solely be used to prevent the introduction or limit the spread of aquatic invasive species at all access sites within the county. The guidelines set by the county may include, but are not limited to, providing for site-level management, countywide awareness, and other procedures that the county finds necessary to achieve compliance.

The amount of funding each county receives is based on a formula using the number of public accesses in each county and the number of boat trailer parking spaces at those public accesses. Sherburne will receive about $69,477 per year based upon 16 launches and 142 parking spaces. This dollar amount will fluctuate based upon public launch and parking space additions/removals that occur in Sherburne County and across the state.

November 2014 Sherburne County, by resolution, delegated Sherburne Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to develop and implement an Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Plan. The plan was to be approved by the Sherburne County Board of Commissioners and filed with the MN DNR. The Sherburne County AIS Prevention Plan was first developed in early 2015 and has since been updated in 2020 and in 2025.