A short history of Spartina in Puget Sound S. Patens. S. Patens has only been found in In Washington, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Dosewallips State Park. S .alterniflora is present “Sedges have edges, Rushes are round, Washington State University introduced S. x townsedii primarily in Padilla Bay and S. Anglica is spread widely Grasses are hollow from the top to the ground” S. anglica to the Stillaguamish estuary in Port Susan across Puget Sound from its origin in Port Susan. Bay in 1961 or 1962. The original introduction was Their round, hollow stems are between 1/4” and 1/2” Other common plants found in Puget Sound estuaries: made to provide forage for cattle, raise the tidal wide, with 1/4” – 2/3” wide leaves. The leaves spread Dune Wildrye (Elymus mollis) gradient to improve grazing and to armor the base of out from the stem at steep to right angles. Spartina Pickleweed (Salicornia virginica) the dike. The introduction was supposed to be the flowers and seeds from mid-summer to fall. The seed Salt grass (Distichlis spicata) sterile S. x townsendii. However, the plants are now head consists of several erect clusters at the top of the Seaside arrowgrass (Triglochin maritimum) known to be the fertile S. anglica. It is not clear stout stem. In fall, Spartina plants develop gold and A variety of sedges and rushes. whether the original planting was actually S. anglica or red colors as the seeds ripen. The root system is if it was S. x townsendii and a natural chromosome extensive with rhizomes spreading out from the root Methods Used to Control Spartina doubling then produced S. anglica. S. anglica has mass. See the line drawing for more Spartina spread rapidly since its introduction to Puget Sound. identifiers. Manual removal / digging it out Populations have spread as far south as Vashon Island Digging Spartina can be successful if care is taken to and as far north as San Juan Island. The largest remove all of the root material. Small fragments left populations in Puget Sound are located in South Skagit behind can regenerate into new plants. Dug plants and Bay in Snohomish and Island counties and Triangle root matter must be removed to an area above tide and Cove located in Camano Island, Island County. Since wave action. Some mud can be removed from the 1995 there has been an active control program in roots, but most winds up being hauled out due to the Puget Sound. This effort is a partnership between difficulty of removal without breaking off root fragments. County Weed Boards, the Department of Agriculture, This is difficult work and should only be undertaken on the Department of Fish and Wildlife, non-profit small clones. organizations and many private property owners and Mowing volunteers. Mowing with weed eaters will reduce plant vigor and control seed set. Mowing should be as close to the Detrimental Impacts of Spartina mud as possible with the objective being to damage • Spartina is non-native with no natural enemies to the crown of the plant. Mowing in the fall should be to slow its spread. remove all stems, live or dead. The stems are • Its rapid spread by vegetative means and by seed Spartina’s way of introducing oxygen to the roots which displaces native vegetation. This includes eelgrass are in an anaerobic environment, but still they require which is critical habitat for juvenile salmon and crab. oxygen. Seedset needs to be controlled before it • The replacement of native vegetation with Spartina occurs. Mowing before stem development assures causes a change in the environment on which native seed control. This may need to repeated 2 or 3 times fish, birds and other animals depend. during the growing season. In some cases this method • Shorebirds that normally feed in mudflats can’t feed has been found to kill Spartina. Success seems to be in the dense Spartina meadows. dependent on conditions and persistence. On a larger • Channels are cut deep into sediment or are scale, rolling or crushing is used instead of mowing. eventually filled. These changes affect salmonids in Covering this important transitional zone between fresh and Covering will work on small sites. Covers must be kept salt water. in place for two growing seasons. The biggest Identification of Spartina • Sediment is accreted by Spartina, raising the tidal challenge is keeping covers in place due to wind, tide,

gradient and changing the water flow. The change in and currents. Similar species and ways to tell the difference tidal gradient produces changes in vegetation and Chemical control with herbicides Dune wildrye or beach grass is found on the beach native inhabitants. All herbicide applications to Spartina must be where it is seldom or never reached by tides. It is a performed by a licensed applicator with an aquatic • Increased flooding may also occur due to sediment blue green color and the seed head is at the tip of the endorsement on their license. In addition to this all building up which slows drainage and clogs the stem. Salt grass is a native grass growing in the same applicators must apply for National Pollution Discharge mouths of rivers and channels. habitat, but is much smaller than Spartina. A general Elimination System (NPDES) coverage through the rule of identification is: Sedges have solid stems and Washington State Department of Agriculture. There is Recognizing Spartina are triangular in shape. Rushes have solid stems and no exception to this. Herbicide applications must be Three species of Spartina or cord grass have colonized are round. All grasses, like Spartina, are round and recorded in detail and post application monitoring is Puget Sound estuaries; S. anglica, S. alterniflora and hollow. required by the NPDES Permit.

(chemical control with herbicides continued) Currently two herbicides are being used to control Spartina in Puget Sound. Glyphosate (Rodeo®, Aquamaster®, Aquaneat® and others) has been used since the beginning of the control program in 1995.

Efficacy is affected by dry time, silt on the plants, and timing. Imazapyr is the second registered herbicide for Spartina ® use in aquatic environments, marketed as Habitat . This herbicide performed well in Willapa Bay and use began in Puget Sound in 2004. Several aquatically in approved surfactants are also used to increase herbicide uptake by the plant. Snohomish County

Methods used For more information about this to control and other noxious weeds in and the Spartina Snohomish County Puget Sound DIGGING Port Susan Bay Contact

Region The Snohomish County

Noxious Weed Control Board

1136 Ave. “D” MOWING Snohomish WA, 98290 Davis Slough

Office Phone (360) 862-7523 Cell Phone (360) 708-8166

CLIPPING SEEDS Email West Pass [email protected]

Noxious Weeds on the Internet CRUSHING SE Skagit Bay http://www.nwcb.wa.gov

SPRAYING SE Skagit Bay

Photos: SCNWCB & The Nature Conservancy