Managing Eurasian Watermilfoil in
the Lower Clark Fork River
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Sanders County
June 17, 2007
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1B Noxious
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Danny MacKay
Natural Resource Technician
Avista Utilities
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Project Timeline
Summer 2008 –
Spring 2009: Phase 1
EA Completed. U.S.
COE partners with
the project. First
bottom barrier
installation.
May 2009:
Education
Coordinator
starts work.
July 2010:
Phase 2
Dye/Herbicide
Trials (33.1 ac)
2011 high water year
June 17, 2007:
EWM confirmed
in Noxon Rapids
and Cabinet
Gorge Reservoirs
July 2009: First
Dye/Herbicide
Trials (40 ac)
Fall 2007:
Formation of the
EWM Task Force
July 2012:
Pre-treatment
monitoring
Summer of
2008: Mapping
EWM
infestations in
Sanders County
Spring 2010:
Phase 2 EA
completed
August
2012:
Herbicide
treatment
(174 ac)
Aquatic Invasive Plant Task Force
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Avista Utilities
MSU Extension/Sanders County
Noxon Cabinet Shoreline Coalition
Green Mountain Conservation District
Montana Bass Federation
Private industry representative
At-Large Sanders County resident
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes
Sanders County Weed District
Montana Department of Agriculture
MT Fish, Wildlife, & Parks
U.S. Forest Service
PPL Montana
AIP Task Force Goals
• Effectively manage Eurasian
watermilfoil
• Reduce the risk of spread of
this plant and other aquatic
invasive plants
• Implement an aggressive
Integrated Weed
Management Program on
the two reservoirs
Post-Treatment Eurasian Watermilfoil
with healthy Elodea from the same rake
pull.
Working Together
Good Connection
• Mixed group of Stakeholders
with majority of them being
local
• Local stakeholders have local
interests
Project Support
• National expert advisory
• Public Process
• Education and Outreach
• Pre-treatment test trials
• Funding
Project Funding
$1.2 million - total project cost so far (includes 2013 plans)
$250,000 – Avista contribution (Includes efforts with barriers, education,
herbicide and check stations.)
Funding sources / Partners
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Sanders County
Noxious Weed Trust Fund
21%
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Montana Department of Agriculture
Idaho Department of Agriculture
Noxon Cabinet Shoreline Coalition
79%
Avista Utilities
MSU Extension
Mississippi State University
U.S. Forest Service
Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks
Green Mountain Conservation District
U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers (Stimulus / reinvestment funds)
Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation
Other
Funding
Sources
Avista
Herbicide Test Trials
2009- 40 acres
• 2- 20 acre plots were treated.
• Dye was mixed with herbicide to
track movement.
• Treatment plots were compared
to control plots.
2010- 33.1 acres
• 3 smaller plots were treated.
• Dye was mixed with herbicide to
track movements.
Bottom Barrier Program
Ground crew handing off a bottom
barrier for the diver to install.
• Constructed of gaspermeable, negatively
buoyant fabric and sand
filled PVC piping.
• Help prevent
fragmentation from
boats near docks.
• Divers place barriers on
the reservoir bottom to
inhibit weed growth.
Boat/Trailer Check Stations
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Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge
Reservoirs form a legally designated
"special management area" with
three mandatory watercraft check
stations.
Montana Dept. of Agriculture
Program.
12 hour per day.
Operate from Memorial Day to Labor
Day.
Eurasian Watermilfoil Lower Clark Fork Management Area
Location
Operation
Days
Total
Inspections
Non-Res. Boats
MT Boats
Re-certifications
Drive-bys
Contaminated
Boats
Troy
102
4212
1735
2477
2252
445
32
Junction of
Hwy 200 &
Hwy 56
102
1081
1025
1056
952
336
35
Plains
102
3504
947
2557
1382
495
25
Education Coordinator
Education coordinator at the Mayfly Fling
in Missoula, MT
• Booths: Huckleberry
Festival, Sanders County
Fair, Mayfly Fling, Sanders
County Water Festival
• One on One contacts with
boaters and fishermen.
• Assist AIP Task Force with
treatment phase
2012 Herbicide Treatment
Clean Lakes applying Herbicides in Noxon Rapids
Underwater view of dual release herbicide nozzle
• 174 acres of high
priority sites were
treated in Noxon Rapids
Reservoir.
• Herbicides: Endothall,
Triclopyr and Diquat.
• Deep water injections
to allow herbicide to
penetrate the thick
EWM stands.
Future Plans
• 2013
– 2012-52 week after
herbicide treatment
survey/2013 pretreatment survey.
– Treat ~ 200 acres of
EWM in Noxon Rapids
Reservoir and possible
Cabinet Gorge
Reservoir.
– 2013- Six week post
treatment survey.
• 2014-Future
– 2013- 52 week after
herbicide treatment
survey
– Treat remainder of
Cabinet Gorge
Reservoir
– Reduce EWM in the
management area to a
“maintenance scale”
(e.g. diver pulling, low
scale herbicide
treatments, bottom
barrier control)
Contact Information
Danny MacKay
Natural Resource Technician
Email: daniel.mackay@avistacorp.com
Phone: (406)-847-1297