LANSING, MI (AP)-- Michigan officials say after years of planning, they're ready to put in place a strategy for controlling the spread of invasive species in the state's waterways.
The plan is described in the annual "State of the Great Lakes" report released Thursday by the Department of Environmental Quality.
Aquatic invaders such as quagga mussels cost the region hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
The new strategy focuses on early detection of new invaders and a rapid response to rein them in.
The department this year began making invasive species surveillance part of routine monitoring activities in waterways, including rivers and streams. The department and Michigan State University are working to increase participation in a program to spot exotic plants in inland lakes.