Boating in Denver's Backyard

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit Cherry Creek State Park in Denver's backyard. Recently relocating to Colorado from Rhode Island ("The Ocean State"), I was excited to get a chance to go sailing in the Cherry Creek Reservoir. Unfortunately, the wind wasn't so good, but I did get a chance to learn about the importance of Leaving No Trace in our waterways.

Cherry Creek, a tributary of the South Platte River, is one of the Front Range's most valuable waterways, as it is a home to native flora and fauna and as it provides irrigation to much of the Denver area. Cherry Creek is also one of the most popular and busiest state parks in Colorado. For this reason, when planning a trip to Cherry Creek, we have to be extra careful to Leave No Trace.

The major negative anthropogenic effects at Cherry Creek are those of the introduction of invasive, or aquatic nuisance species, a major issue across the United States today. Species such as the Zebra Mussel, Quagga Mussel, and New Zealand Mudsnail are just a few of the aquatic nuisances on Colorado's (and the United States') hotlist. These species hitchhike on to the hulls of boats as water recreationists relocate to different waterways across the world. When introduced, they wreak havoc on the ecosystem, outcompeting native species and introducing foreign diseases.

You can help combat these issues whenever you visit your local waterways by following these simple guidelines:

• CLEAN the hull of your boat.
• DRAIN the water from the boat, live well and the lower unit of the engine.
• DRY the boat, fishing gear, and equipment.
• INSPECT all exposed surfaces.
• REMOVE all plant and animal material.

Click here for more information about Colorado's Aquatic Nuisance Species and regulations, or for more information about your local region, please visit the ANS Task Force's website.