<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle22
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle23
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle24
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:531070558;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1790707054 -1092312798 735450716 1167916320 1810518738 -925334516 1551898734 1968866548 -69409810 -1175797200;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\2022;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
@list l1
{mso-list-id:1539119395;
mso-list-template-ids:17743626;}
@list l1:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:\F0B7;
mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Symbol;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:12.0pt">New RI DEM freshwater invasive species documents now on DEM website, including 15 species-specific distribution maps and the annual state-wide distribution map.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">________________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="color:#00B050">EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES – YOU COULD BE SPREADING THEM!<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Whether you are working OR playing in a lake or river, please be aware how easy it is to unintentionally spread an invasive plant,
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">snail or freshwater clam from one lake to another or introduce species to rivers (if you are not careful). RIDEM has documented
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the widespread presence of aquatic invasive species in 98 lakes and 24 rivers around RI (as of the end of 2017), and we have
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">summarized this information and posted updated fact sheets, new documents and updates to our website:
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/surface-water/aquatic-invasive-species.php">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/surface-water/aquatic-invasive-species.php</a> See links below for more specific<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">documents that are now available online to download today! Most notably, RIDEM releases the newly updated
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">species-specific statewide distribution maps for 15 invasive species (large pdf document):
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/quality/surfwq/pdfs/aisridist.pdf">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/quality/surfwq/pdfs/aisridist.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="color:#00B050">WHAT ARE AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES, AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are non-native plants and animals that have been introduced (accidentally or intentionally)
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">into lakes and rivers. They generally do not have local predators, or have different reproductive strategies than native species,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">giving them advantages when competing with native plants and animals. Their rapid and successful growth causes loss of beneficial<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">native species, decreases biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems, changes fish and wildlife habitat, disrupts food webs,
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">degrades water quality, and impedes recreation such as boating, swimming and fishing. These nuisance conditions may
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">reduce waterfront property values, impact local tourism and affect businesses in the community. Once established, trying
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">to control and manage an invasive species population is a long-term project that annually costs substantial amounts of money.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">Therefore, the most cost-effective and useful strategy against AIS is to prevent their introductions to lakes and rivers.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#333333;background:white">Please use the links and info below to learn how YOU can prevent the spread of invasives to lakes in rivers in our state.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="color:#00B050">ARE INVASIVES IN YOUR LAKE OR RIVER?</span><span style="color:#203864"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RIDEM has documented invasive species in 98 ponds and 24 rivers in Rhode Island. Knowing where they are, and if they are
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">in your lake can help reduce your risk of unintentionally spreading these invasives to other lakes. To encourage people to
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">be more aware of the invasive species that are currently in a specific lake or river they may frequent, please check the
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">statewide map and list of lakes, ponds and rivers that currently have one or more invasives species:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/wetlands/pdfs/invasive.pdf">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/wetlands/pdfs/invasive.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This pdf is updated every year to reflect changes in the map, new ponds, rivers, plants or animals. If you are heading to one<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">of these ponds or rivers, be sure to take precautions so that the invasives are not spread to more locations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="color:#00B050">WHAT INVASIVE SPECIES ARE IN RI, and WHERE?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you are interested in the different species and where they are in the state, we have also updated 15 species-specific
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">distribution maps and made links available in a table for both factsheets (left column) or for the distribution map and list<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">of locations (right column) for: plants: <a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/surface-water/aisplant.php">
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/surface-water/aisplant.php</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">snails or freshwater clams: <a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/surface-water/ais-animals.php">
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/water/quality/surface-water/ais-animals.php</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you wish to look at ALL of the species-specific distribution maps, we have compiled them into one large pdf document
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(be patient when downloading, this file is very large due to the number of maps and pictures it contains, but it may be easier<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">than downloading 15 separate maps): <a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/quality/surfwq/pdfs/aisridist.pdf">
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/quality/surfwq/pdfs/aisridist.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We have also compiled all the factsheets we have available in one pdf document for ease of downloading:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/quality/surfwq/pdfs/allaisfs.pdf">http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/quality/surfwq/pdfs/allaisfs.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#00B050"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="color:#00B050">WHAT CAN I DO WHEN HEADING TO A LAKE OR RIVER?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As always, when heading out into our local freshwaters, please make sure to:
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:90%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<b><u><span style="color:#254379">CHECK</span></u></b><span style="color:black"> waders, watercraft, trailer & gear, before and after each use</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:90%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<b><u><span style="color:#254379">CLEAN</span></u></b><span style="color:black"> all weeds and plant fragments from boats, boots</span>, toys<span style="color:black"> & gear</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:90%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<b><u><span style="color:#254379">DRAIN</span></u></b><span style="color:black"> boat, motor, bait buckets, and live wells far from water</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:90%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<b><u><span style="color:#254379">DRY</span></u></b><span style="color:black"> boats & waders out of the water at least 24 hours before next put-in</span><o:p></o:p></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:90%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3">
<b><u><span style="color:#203864">DISPOSE</span></u></b><b> </b>of bait, shellfish, pet fish and plants in the trash; do not release them into a lake or river<o:p></o:p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;line-height:90%">
<o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more information on what you can do to prevent the spread of aquatic invasives, see
<a href="http://stopaquatichitchhikers.org/prevention/">http://stopaquatichitchhikers.org/prevention/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I hope you find this information helpful, please let me know if you have any questions.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thank you, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Katie DeGoosh-DiMarzio<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>