At a meeting of the Parks and Wildlife Commission, a public commenter who identified themself as a recreational kayaker urged people to "clean, drain, and dry" boats and gear to prevent aquatic nuisance species from entering Colorado waters.

"Kayakers like me, we're a pain in the ANS. Aquatic nuisance species are a growing threat to Colorado's water resources. Invasive mussels, plants, and other invertebrates can easily take over our lakes and rivers if we aren't careful. Nymphestation could mean losing our recreation, reliable drinking water, and so much more. That's why I always clean, drain, and dry my gear in between each and every use no matter where I'm going or coming from," the commenter said.

The commenter framed the issue as both an environmental and recreational risk, citing invasive mussels, aquatic plants and other invertebrates as the main threats. They urged recreational users to follow the practice they described as "clean, drain and dry" to limit the chance that organisms travel on boats, paddles or other equipment.

"The future of Colorado's water is in our hands and on our paddles So let's all be a pain in the ANS and stop invaders in their tracks," the commenter added.

The remarks occurred during the meeting's public comment period; the transcript contains no recorded motion or vote tied to the comment. The statement in the transcript is an appeal to individual behavior rather than a proposal for formal regulatory action.