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SWAMP - SWAMP Aquatic Invasive Species

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)

AIS threaten California’s waters and their beneficial uses. AIS may cause economic, environmental, and/or human health harm

  • AIS can have negative impacts on water supplies (clogged pipes, increased transpiration), agriculture (reduced water flows…), fisheries (loss of species, disease…), ecological functions (altered hydrology…), waterways (choke and congested waters, undermine levees…) and more.
  • AIS are plants, animals or disease agents that are not native to an ecosystem. (AIS are also known as, but not limited to: Exotic Species, Alien Species, Invasive Organisms, Noxious Species, Naturalized Species, and Non-indigenous Aquatic Species or Non-Native Species).
  • Proper planning and decontamination techniques should be practiced by recreationists (boaters, sport fishers, hikers…), water professionals and aquatic scientists alike.

To protect California’s waters and their beneficial uses it is important that we all act in ways, which will prevent the introduction or spread of AIS. Persons active within surface waters may act as dispersants for certain AIS. It is important to prevent the transfer of AIS from one waterbody to another and to prevent the spread of AIS within a watershed.

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