Ongoing
Sandra Nierzwicki-Bauer & Jeremy Farrell
Freshwater ecosystems are especially vulnerable to invasive species, which affect ecosystems and overall water quality. Many aquatic invasives are spread by boats moving between lakes. Thus, boat inspection and washing stations are an effective approach to remove invasives from boats before they enter a lake. At boat-washing stations across NYS, boats are subject to a surveys and inspections. Using these data, we developed a machine-learning model to predict invasives on arriving boats. We can correctly identify 96.5% of invasive arrivals. Identifying high-risk boats coupled with cleaning protocols will improve the effectiveness of detecting and mitigating new invasive introductions.