SARANAC INN — The Upper Saranac Foundation is touting a new high-temperature, high-pressure boat wash that the group says will help further protect the lake from invasive species.

The wash station is located at the state boat launch on Upper Saranac Lake at Saranac Inn. The Upper Saranac Foundation, in a press release, said the wash station will significantly reduce the threat posed by aquatic invasive species that could harm fish and the health of local water bodies.

It is a collaborative effort of the Upper Saranac Foundation, state Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program, Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute, Cloudsplitter Foundation, Lake Champlain Basin Program and town of Santa Clara.

The foundation also works with the college’s Adirondack Watershed Institute to ensure that watershed stewards are on duty at the boat launch seven days a week. There are also stewards at the Fish Creek Campground boat launch, which connects to Upper Saranac Lake.

The foundation noted that stewards have already intercepted zebra mussels twice this year, as well as intercepting potential spiny water fleas.