Objective 2: Detect, monitor, and respond to pioneering AIS in
Flathead Basin waters.
Without clear knowledge of the location of existing populations of AIS within the
Flathead Basin, our fight against AIS is like boxing in the dark, and without a rapid
response plan, we don’t have timely knowledge of how to combat our opponent. This
portion of the implementation plan addresses the need for protocols for Basin‐wide AIS
surveys, reporting, and a rapid response plan to effectively address newly discovered
populations.
This section also defines the survey of existing conditions in the Flathead Basin, an
approach to sharing the reports, and a rapid response protocol. Associated benefits
from this section include clear knowledge of existing conditions to facilitate effective
monitoring, a cooperative database for information sharing and communication, and an
increased potential for timely response to newly discovered AIS infestations. The
following tasks will be pursued:
- Prioritize specific bodies of water for surveying
- Identify existing survey methodologies
- Adopt and/or develop universal/consistent survey methodologies
- Use existing databases as templates to incorporate new survey data
- Continue support for the Whitefish to Eureka Volunteer Lake Monitoring
Program and the Flathead Basin Commission Volunteer Water Quality
Monitoring Program for early AIS detection - Develop other water quality monitoring and AIS volunteer monitoring
programs throughout the Flathead Basin - Include existing monitoring efforts currently being undertaken (see FBC
surface water quality monitoring plan) in the AIS monitoring component
