Immersion Method (detailed instructions):

Using a stiff brush remove dirt, mud and other debris from boots/soles (take out removable inner soles), waders, wading staff, and net.
Use one of the solutions below. Immerse equipment in a bucket of solution (3 to 5 gallons will be needed) keeping entire surfaces and crevices covered with solution (CA DFG test indicates 5 minutes. However, follow up testing in California and another test at CO DOW show 10 minutes minimum required).
Using a stiff brush wipe off all particulate. Rinse into a building drain that goes to a water treatment facility. Do NOT rinse into river or lake or storm water drain. For copper sulfate see the copper sulfate section.
Solution can be kept and reused a number of times.

(Follow up testing by the Northern California Council of the Federation of Fly Fishers has shown spraying Formula 409 Disinfectant solution on equipment is NOT effective for killing all snails.)

Besides getting buckets with lids at Home Improvement stores you can get used buckets, like the ones in the picture, with lids from Restaurants. Things like pickles come in them and the restaurant is generally more than willing to part with empty containers. Two buckets will be more convenient as you can keep both a sanitizing bucket and a rinse bucket in your garage. Also, a weight may be needed to keep waders immersed in solution. I use a barbell for the weight. I have a cord tied to the barbell so that I can pull it back out of the solution bucket.

This humorous story explains one way to clean your waders.

(a CA DFG and CO DOW recommendation)

Dry Bag Method (detailed instructions):

Using a stiff brush remove dirt, mud and other debris from boots (take out removable inner soles), waders, wading staff, and net.
Add 8 to 10 liters (roughly 2-2.5 gal) of one of the solutions below to a "river runner dry bag" after you have put the waders and boots in. Shake and roll it around for 30 seconds and let it sit for 5 minutes minimum. Then shake 30 seconds again. Using a stiff brush brush off all particulate. Rinse into a building drain that goes to a water treatment facility. Do NOT rinse into river or lake or storm water drain. For copper sulfate see the copper sulfate section
Solution can be kept and reused a number of times.

(a CA DFG recommendation)

Spray Method (detailed instructions):

Using a stiff brush remove dirt, mud and other debris from boots (take out removable inner soles), waders and wading staff. Spray all surfaces including top and undersides of gravel guards. Snails easily get on the insides of boots so drown the inside surfaces liberally. Keep all surfaces wet with solution for at least 5 minutes. Do NOT rinse into river or lake or storm water drain or sewers.
This method is good only for copper sulfate Solution- see below.
Formula 409 solutions fail the spray application method.
(From CA DFG and Northern California Council of Fly Fishers Test results)

Formula 409 with Degreaser & Disinfectant, "Commercial Solutions ":

Formula 409® products which contain Disinfectant or Antibacterial are the only correct 409 products to use. The product straight from the bottle is best but most places still recommend a 50% solution. The product must have a disinfectant / antibacterial in the product for it to kill the snails. See the full name of the products below.
Both products can be kept and reused a number of times. However, the disinfectant is susceptible to being neutralized by organ material such as dirt and grass thus remove as much as reasonable before soaking.
Spray application is unacceptable for this product.
This solution is deemed safe for your waders and boots though some visual aberrations may show. A number of other household cleaners were tested but they affected integrity of wading equipment. Long term Impacts of many fisherman wading with this chemical on their boots has not been studied. Thus rinse your wading equipment well, especially felt soles.

The disinfectant in these two Formula 409 products is a QAC, Quaternary Ammonium Compound, A test at UC Davis has demonstrated the the QAC in Formula 409 kills the WD spores in 10 minutes at 1500 PPM (50/50 mixture of Formula 409 Disinfectant). I have not located any specific validation that Formula 409 will kill Didymo however New Zealand Biosecurity recommends a 2 to 5% solution of dish detergent for home use.

Use only
"Commercial Solutions Formula 409® Cleaner Degreaser Disinfectant"
or
"Formula 409® All Purpose Cleaner Antibacterial Kitchen Lemon Fresh"

Where to Buy It
+ picture of the bottle

(A CA DFG test result ; CO DOW recommendation)

Copper Sulfate Solution (252 mg/L Cu) -

Immersion and Dry bag methods work. Another option for this solution which maybe handy on a multiple day traveling trip is to use the spray application for 5 minutes minimum. Copper Sulfate solution is the only tested solution proven to be effective when sprayed on to the equipment.
Copper Sulfate is a herbicide - algaecide registered in Colorado. Probably would kill invasive weeds like hydrilla and algae like Didymo on your wading equipment. Solution can be kept and reused many times.
This solution is deemed safe for your waders and boots. (CA DFG test Result) Long term impacts of many fisherman wading with this chemical on their boots has not been studied. Thus rinse your wading equipment well, especially felt soles.

Where to Buy it
Mix Ratio & Important inf0

This method has been proven to be effective for NZMS. Not data for didymo or Quagga/Zebra Mussels or WD but likely to be effective.

Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate Crystal is commonly sold at Hardware stores under various brand names as a root killer for sewers. Typically the instructions call for dumping 2 lb. of crystal into the commode. In the western US, where there are many mines, some rivers are listed as impaired waterways due to high copper content. The state of Colorado has several rivers listed as such (The Arkansas, Colorado, Clear Creek, South Platte, Gunnison Rivers). Copper is hard to remove from the water supply to maintain compliance with federal regulations. Plus most water treatment plants rely on biological processing to treat waste water before releasing the water back into the river. High copper content can kill the biological organisms in the treatment plant. To help avoid the potential of exceeding copper content limits some municipalities discourage the use of high concentration copper based compounds such as copper sulfate pentahydrate. For the same reason some municipalities have stopped using copper sulfate in lakes and reservoirs to kill algae. It is recommended that you keep this in mind when disposing of rinse water and unused solution. Contact your local government regarding regulations. Golden Colorado asks city Vendors for voluntary compliance to keep copper sulfate pentahydrate root killer off their shelves since in the past the City has exceeded copper content limits in their fresh water and waste water. West Denver Trout Unlimited recommends not dumping Copper sulfate into rivers, ponds, lakes, storm drains or sewers.

(a CA DFG test result)

Sparquat 256 by Spartan Chemical Co. (4-6 oz. / gal water):

Sparquat 256 has been proven by the CO DOW to be more effective
than CS Formula 409 Cleaner Degreaser Disinfectant

-After brushing off mud and sand with a stiff brush soak the equipment in the solution for at least 10 minutes, and preferably 15 minutes. Agitate solution around boots and equipment while soaking.
This chemical has been used for a number of years by the Colorado DOW to sanitize equipment after Whirling Disease exposure. This product contains quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC). There are a number of other QAC products on the market that probably will work but have not been tested for effectiveness to kill the snail and be safe for waders.

Since the DOW has been using it for several years on their equipment this solution appears to be safe for your wading equipment. It can be used a number of times. However, the disinfectant is susceptible to organic material such as dirt and grass neutralizing it. Thus remove as much dirt etc. as reasonable before soaking. Long term Impacts of many fisherman wading with this chemical on their boots has not been studied. Thus rinse your wading equipment well, especially felt soles.

Solutions of QACs can be used over several days if not diluted.

( Click to see where to get this product and
more info about QACs & Whirling Disease )

This method has been proven to be effective for NZMS and WD. Not data for didymo or Quagga/Zebra Mussels but likely to be effective.

(a Colorado DOW management plan alternative)( This germicide was not tested in the CA DFG test)

Quat 128® (mix ratio = 6.4 liquid oz. per gallon of water)

This chemical may or may not have been tested but it has the same QAC as Sparquat 256. Just like Sparquat 256 this chemical, Quat 128, should be able to be found at some Janitorial or Hospital supply companies. This would be applicable to controlling Whirling disease and NZMS. The manufacturer is Buckeye International - (a Forest Service Interim Guidance for 2007 Fire Operations option)

This method has been proven to be effective for NZMS and WD. Not data for didymo or Quagga/Zebra Mussels but likely to be effective.

Bioguard Algicide 28-40® (mix Ratio = unknown)
This is a pool cleaning chemical but it is not listed on the manufacturer's web site so it must not be available any more. There are other pool algaecides out there that also contain the same QAC as Sparquat 256 germicide. This QAC is Alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride.

This method has been proven to be effective for NZMS and WD. Not data for didymo or Quagga/Zebra Mussels but likely to be effective.

*Bleach - A solution of household bleach is NO LONGER recommended for NZMS. The 2005 CA DFG testing report demonstrated bleach is very ineffective at killing snails when it's operculum is closed. (Trap door kind of thing the snail closes over it's opening). A solution of bleach may cause some discoloration of wading materials. Strong concentrations can affect wading equipment material integrity. However, a weak 2-10% solution of bleach (by Volume) is still effective for killing other invasive species such as Whirling Disease(10%), Didymo (2%), and Zebra Mussels. Thus you will still see it promoted on many state wildlife websites and the "Protect Your Waters" website.

Not effective for New Zealand Mudsnails.
This method has been proven to be effective for Didymo, WD, Quagga/Zebra Mussels.

* Pure Vinegar has not been tested for effectiveness on NZMS or Whirling Disease. I have not located any information with respect to Didymo, Quagga or Zebra Mussels.

* Dish detergent, 2-5% solution will kill Didymo. The Vermont and New Hampshire DNR's recommend using "Lots of Soap". For 1 gallon of water a 2-5% solution would require from 1/3 to slightly more than 3/4 cup of detergent. appears to not have been tested or is ineffective on NZMS or WD.
Though soap will not kill New Zealand Mudsnails it will help to release them from the surface they cling to. Thus washing them off of your equipment will be easier. But if you don't kill the invasive then you are leaving the possibility of the invasive to remaining on your equipment crevices and recesses.

This method has been proven to be effective for Didymo. I have no data for WD, Quagga/ Zebra Mussels.

Boats, rafts, and trailer hygiene:

Vehicles: The tires and undercarriage need to be sprayed off with a high pressure hose or by going through a car wash.
Boats, rafts and trailers should be cleaned of mud, vegetation or other debris using a high pressure commercial car wash whenever possible before driving into the next stream. Drain and disinfect live wells and sumps with 10% bleach solution.

* CLEAN the hull of your boat.
* DRAIN the water from the boat, livewell and the lower unit of the engine.
* DRY the boat, fishing gear, and equipment.
* INSPECT all exposed surfaces.
* REMOVE all plant and animal material.

Video on cleaning your boat
Also see www.protectyourwaters.net
(CO DOW NZMS management plan)

Hot Water Bath:
* Give your gear a hot water bath (120 -130ºF) for five minutes. Water must remain 120ºF - 130° F during bathing - Water in your bath tub probably can maintain this temperature. Your dish washer should work well. For Quagga/Zebra Mussels equal to or greater than 140ºF.

This method has been proven to be effective for NZMS, rocksnot, and WD

Note - some places I see the temperature listed as 120 and other places I see it as 130 or 140
(a Colorado DOW & US Fish & Wildlife recommendation - plus other state wildlife websites)

Here is one way a camping fisherman achieves this:
"I've found one of those Zodi portable hot shower kits (http://www.zodi.com/web-content/ ) and a 5 gallon bucket makes a nice portable sterilizer without having to carry chemicals, and lets me take a hot shower while camping. The Zodi unit is a continuous operation heater. I just put the inlet and outlet hose in the same bucket, turn it on and let it run. I monitor the temperature with a cheap kitchen thermometer and once it gets up to temperature, I leave it running for another 5 minutes to be safe then shut it down."

Dry the Equipment:
The general guidelines recommends thoroughly drying the equipment. For Didymo many web sites recommend thoroughly drying the equipment. Then allow another 24 hours before using the equipment. Thoroughly drying the equipment can be a lot harder than you think. Felt soles may take days to dry completely through the depth of the material. Also you have to make sure all creases and crevices outside and inside the equipment are dry, such as inside boots or boat bags. NZMS have survived several days in a dry environment and 50 days on a moist surface. The "Protect Your Waters" website sponsored by The national Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Coast Guard recommends;" If possible, allow for 5 days of drying time before entering new waters." Complete drying of equipment is a method recommended by New Zealand Biosecurity for killing Didymo on your equipment.

For Didymo, WD, Quagga/Zebra Mussels and NZMS

Dry Heat:
* Dry Heat will kill NZMS, WD and Didymo. Spray with "Commercial Solutions Formula 409 Cleaner Degreaser Disinfectant" or other soap/ detergent and let waders and boots dry in the hot sun for several hours. The air must be low humidity and over 84 Degrees F for 24 hours or 104 Degrees F (or higher) for 2 hours. Any residual mud must be completely dried through. Inside surfaces such in boots must be thoroughly dry also. (The reason for the soap is because it breaks down the mucus the mud snails utilizes to hold onto wet surfaces)
(An older recommendation by DOW)

Freeze Equipment
for 4 hours minimum(for those winter die hard addicts or those with unused freezer space). ALL The interior recesses must be frozen, also. Thus additional time must be added for the recesses and insides of boots to reach freezing. Thus the recommendation of freezing over night.
Note - handle your waders and boots carefully and thaw out before bending or unfolding. Frozen water has the potential to crack the gear material when bending it.

This works for NZMS and Didymo. I am not sure about WD.

(Numerous sources recommend this but several say it must be over night)

The "Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers!" campaign empowers recreational users to become part of the solution in stopping the transport and spread of these harmful hitchhikers. The main sponsors of this national program are The national Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Coast Guard.

The Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers website has some general prevention procedures for preventing the spread of invasive species. Though they are very good procedures to follow just remember they are general procedures trying covering many potential threats. Parts of the general procedures are inadequate in that they are not positive controls for protection against New Zealand Mudsnails and/or Whirling Disease since they do not kill the invasive. Review the information about vinegar and salt water solutions discussed above.

General Prevention Procedures for Aquatic Invasive species http://protectyourwaters.org/prevention/prevention_generic.php

Read these questions and answers dealing with concerns raised about cleaning our wading equipment

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Colorado Trout Unlimited Organization Aquatic Nuisance page -
http://www.cotrout.org/tabid/136/Default.aspx

2006 High Country News Article - Stream Invaders May Harm Trout

General Prevention Procedures for Aquatic Invasive species http://protectyourwaters.org/prevention/prevention_generic.php

(some of these general procedures are inadequate against New Zealand Mudsnails)