09/14/2026
Are you hiring a dock service provider to remove your dock this fall? If so, read the following information to make sure we are protecting Big Cedar Lake!
Any activity that involves installing, removing, operating, and transporting water-related equipment, structures, and gear presents a high risk of inadvertently transporting and spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS) without proper decontamination. While everyone is required to “inspect, remove, and drain” per Wisconsin State Statutes NR40, these steps might not always be 100% effective especially for high-risk users such as service providers who are often working on multiple lakes in a single day and interacting with lake water and sediment in ways that recreational users are not.
To flex your consumer muscle, here are some simple ideas to consider:
1. Ask your existing or prospective provider what AIS prevention steps they take.
2. Build ‘decontamination’ into the service contract. Ask that the provider implement at least one decontamination option and provide you with documentation such as a video or logbook, or arrange to witness it in-person.
3. Talk with your neighbors or lake group to discuss the possibility of hiring the same provider to reduce the number of different providers coming to the lake throughout the season.
Thanks for caring about Big Cedar Lake!
