Optimizing the location of watercraft inspection stations to slow the spread of aquatic invasive species

Abstract The accidental spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) by recreational boaters is a major concern state and county environmental planners in the USA. While programs for watercraft inspection to educate slow AIS are common practice, large numbers boats waterbodies, together with limited budgets, make program design difficult. To facilitate design, we developed an integer programming model allocation scarce resources among lakes. Our uses species-specific infestation status lakes estimates boat movement between objective select stations maximize number risky inspected, where ones that move from infested uninfested We apply our Stearns County central Minnesota, USA, prioritize evaluate alternative management objectives. With protecting within outside County, optimal policy locate at having most departing inside county. only lakes, both riskiest arriving in-county tradeoff these objectives significant.