Upper Snake River CWMA

Herbicides

  During 2009 several herbicide treatment projects were undertaken in the USRCWMA.

The Forest Weed Control Project was productive again this season.  However,

 spring rain made early treatments difficult and led to favorable growing conditions

 for weeds.  Musk thistle and Hounds tongue continue to be the most difficult

 weeds to control in the project area.  Spotted knapweed and Leafy spurge are

 persistent in established areas, but treatments are keeping them from dominating

 the area and spreading rapidly.   The Palisades Ranger District had five seasonal

 employees dedicated to this project and the Teton Basin District had a two person

 crew working on the project throughout the summer.  Funding to support these

 crews and the equipment comes from the Forest Service budget, agreements with

 the Bureau of Reclamation, Bonneville Power Administration, and from funding

  through the Eastern Idaho Resource Advisory Committee.  Most public contacts for this project came from the crew’s

  encounters with people recreating on the National Forest.  The herbicide provided through the CWMA as part of the cost

  share program is a vital part of this project.  Herbicide treatments continue to be the main tool for weed treatment in the

  project area.  However, areas to release or supplement biological control agents are always considered.

  In 2009 Jefferson Co. sponsored a spray day project along the Snake River

  flood control dike. This project is part of an ongoing effort to clean up the 

  water ways in Jefferson County. On October 15, 2009 CWMA partners from

  Jefferson Co., Bonneville Co., Idaho Dept. of Fish & Game gathered at the

  Menan boat landing for the spray day targeting Knapweeds, Leafy Spurge, and

  thistles along the river dike and riparian areas. Approximately forty four acres

  were treated on county and private lands.   This area has been sprayed

  annually for the past few years, and it’s clear the project is making significant

  improvements. Jefferson County also released twenty colonies of the Oberea

  stem boring agents at previously selected locations. In addition to the work

  this season, Jefferson County will complete an aerial application on a known

  Russian knapweed infestation in the southwest region of the county next

  spring as part of this project. John Erickson is a livestock producer who owns range land in Roberts that borders the Snake

  River. His three hundred acres of grazing once sustained approximately 250 cow calf pairs now is only able to maintain about

  25. The BLM manages an estimated hundred acres of bordering land that is in the same condition. Cost sharing with Mr.

  Erickson and the BLM will increase our efforts ten fold. Herbicides will be our contribution with these two partners providing

  the aircraft application. This type of cooperation is what will make this project successful.

This project was a cooperative effort with Fremont County in the Henrys Fork CWMA. 

 The goal is to control Leafy Spurge in the area near Bitch Creek, which is the border

 between Fremont and Teton Counties.  Most of the land treated was privately owned 

 pasture which recently was taken out of CRP. This land borders the forest service land,

 county roadsides, and land along the Bitch Creek drainage.  Due to the successful

 control this project has had during the previous two years, Teton County was able to

 expand the scope of this project from Hatches Corner and Felt to the Fremont County

 line.  Seventeen participants representing private landowners, Fremont, Bonneville,

 Jefferson, and Madison counties, BLM, Forest Service, and Fish and Game came to

 support the spray day.  An estimated 240 acres of Leafy Spurge was treated as well as

  60 acres of Musk Thistle and 2 acres of Spotted Knapweed.  Thanks to this project and the help of an attentive landowner we

  were able to locate and treat a small infestation of Spotted Knapweed on the banks of Bitch Creek before it went to seed. 

  There were eight public contacts made, and $4,965 of in-kind match in the form of labor and equipment.

  The Rangeland Pilot Project is a cooperative effort with Bonneville county and private landowners.  This year it consisted of

  three areas: Swan Valley, Dan Creek, and Tex Creek. 

  The Swan Valley project finished its 9^th successful year. Landowners were notified or

  called about weeds on their private lands.  Once a management plan was developed, and

  it was determined that herbicides would be the best option then Bonneville County Weed

  (BCW) would treat the property with various herbicides.  Landowners & BCW split the

  coast 50/50. This program has become more popular each year and as the area continues

  to grow.  Weeds treated include Spotted knapweed, Canada thistle, Musk thistle, Diffuse

  knapweed, Leafy spurge, Hounds tongue, and Field bindweed. Land owners paid

  $11,287.33 in labor which converted to treating 985 acres of weeds.  Estimation of 2000

  acres inventoried with 500 direct contacts made.

 The Dan Creek area has been running for eight years. This project is in the heart of

 Bonneville County’s valuable rangeland.  Numerous ranchers free-range their cattle in

 the area and know how important it is to protect the land and the riparian areas

 against noxious weeds.  In this project BCW cost share 50% of the total cost of weed

 control.  Landowners paid $3,514.04 for their weed control in which 536 acres of

  weeds were treated. These continued efforts have enabled BCW to keep the majority

 of weeds contained, with challenges concerning hounds-tongue.

  The area around Hudman was implemented to protect Idaho Fish and Game properties

  on the Tex Creek WMA, has been successful in reducing the amount of noxious weeds

  present.  Weeds such as Musk thistle, Canada thistle, Black henbane, and Leafy spurge

  were present.  This year BCW had little landowner involvement as Mr. Hudman was out

  of town for the summer, but received full cooperation with his staff to ensure that the

  program continued to be a success.  Adjacent landowners are continually becoming

  involved.   A cash match of $678.87.00 spent to treat 77 acres of weeds.

  Bingham County Weed Control worked with landowners to further control Russian knapweed.  Troublesome areas were

  located during 2008 and were treated this year with the help of previous project information.  This project is an essential key

  to controlling Russian Knapweed in this area.  During the 2009 year, 225 acres were treated and 11 public contacts were

  made.

Eastern Idaho Railroad, also known as the RailDOGS, is the short line railroad that runs

 throughout Southern Idaho. This project involves Bonneville County, Jefferson County, Madison

 County, and the Eastern Idaho Railroad. This year Raildogs supplied the truck, which was Watco

 contracted to the counties for the labor portion of the application.  Weeds treated included: Musk

 thistle, Canada thistle, Leafy spurge, Field bindweed, Houndstongue, Plumeless thistle,

 Puncturevine, Spotted knapweed, and a little Yellow toadflax.  $1,500.00 was used to purchase

 herbicide.  Raildogs paid $3260.00 cash match for additional herbicide and the labor contracted

 to the Counties.  Over a few days, a combination of crews from different counties drove the right-

 of-way on ATV’s to treat the weeds. Jefferson County also had a small crew that backpacked the

  impassable areas. 465 acres of weeds were treated with an in-kind contribution from counties of $2274.00.

  Herbicides are a valuable tool in combating noxious weeds.  Always read and follow the label.  For assistance planning

  herbicides treatment of noxious weeds contact your County Weed Department.