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Soil & Water warns of AIS funding cut; board approves delegation agreement for inspections
Summary
Soil & Water staff told commissioners the county will see a 50% cut to state aquatic invasive species prevention aid and recommended concentrating inspections and monitoring; the board approved a delegation agreement to continue state‑access inspections for the season.
Becker County Soil & Water staff updated commissioners on the county’s aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention program and sought board approval of a delegation agreement that allows county inspectors to continue conducting inspections and decontamination at state public access sites.
Presenter staff summarized program activity (watercraft inspections, decontamination, dive monitoring and small grants). Staff said compliance at county access sites is high but warned that more boats are arriving from lakes known to be infested elsewhere. The presenter said the legislature reduced county AIS prevention aid by 50% in the most recent budget, which will require the county to prioritize inspections at the busiest lakes and focus monitoring where early detection has the best chance of success.
Commissioners approved a delegation agreement by motion, enabling county crews and contracted inspectors to operate at state access sites for the season. The presenter asked the board to prioritize monitoring and outreach and noted small grants (about $8,000 distributed last year) helped local associations treat curly‑leaf pondweed and other problems.
County staff said they will return with an updated AIS budget that reduces administrative costs and concentrates inspection hours at high‑risk access sites.
The board approved the delegation agreement by voice vote.
