Integrated Weed Management Plan Comstock Project
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Integrated Weed Management Plan Comstock Project Prepared for: Comstock Mining, LLC Comstock Project P. O. Box 1118 Virginia City, Nevada 89440 Prepared by: JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. 595 Double Eagle Court Reno, Nevada 89521 Contact: Debra Lemke, PWS, CPESC or Matthew McKissick Photo: G. Azad (775) 747-5777 JBR Project Number B.A12059.00 June 8, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1.0 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 OVERVIEW OF APPROACH TO WEED MANAGEMENT .................................................. 2 2.1 NOXIOUS SPECIES ............................................................................................................... 2 2.2 INVASIVE SPECIES ............................................................................................................... 3 3.0 PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION .......................................................................... 5 4.0 WEED SPECIES IN THE PROJECT AREA ............................................................................. 6 4.1 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS .................................................................................................. 6 5.0 PRIORITIES FOR WEED TREATMENTS .............................................................................. 7 5.1 PREVENTION ....................................................................................................................... 7 5.2 BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES (BMPS) .......................................................................... 7 5.2.1 Educational BMPs .................................................................................................. 8 5.2.2 Work Areas BMPs .................................................................................................. 8 5.2.3 Area Remediation BMPs ...................................................................................... 10 5.3 EXISTING INFESTATIONS PRIORITIES ................................................................................ 11 5.3.1 First Priority .......................................................................................................... 11 5.3.2 Second Priority ..................................................................................................... 12 5.3.3 Third Priority ........................................................................................................ 12 6.0 WEED MANAGEMENT ACTIONS ......................................................................................... 13 6.1 TREATMENTS AND CONTROL METHODS ........................................................................... 13 6.1.1 Cultural ................................................................................................................. 14 6.1.2 Chemical ............................................................................................................... 14 6.1.3 Mechanical Methods ............................................................................................. 17 6.1.4 Biological Methods ............................................................................................... 19 6.2 RECOMMENDED WEED TREATMENTS ............................................................................... 19 6.3 SEEDING ............................................................................................................................ 24 6.4 MONITORING ..................................................................................................................... 24 7.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 25 INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT PLAN – COMSTOCK PROJECT JUNE 2012 JBR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS, INC. i LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Vegetation Communities/Habitats for Comstock Project Site ............................................ 5 Table 2 Nevada Listed Noxious Weeds Found at Comstock Project Area ...................................... 6 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Project Area Figure 2 Vegetation Habitat Communities Figure 3 Surveyed Noxious Weeds LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A State of Nevada Noxious Weed Law Appendix B Weed Species Fact Sheets Appendix C Weed Management Check Lists Appendix D Weed Inventory/Monitoring Form Appendix E Weed Management Treatment Matrix Appendix F Sample Seed Mixes Appendix G Weeds to Watch For (Poster) Appendix H Resources and Contacts/Nevada Certified Weed Free Materials List Appendix I Weed Management Treatment Calendar INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT PLAN – COMSTOCK PROJECT JUNE 2012 JBR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS, INC. ii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ai/A Active ingredient per acre BLM U.S. Bureau of Land Management BMP Best Management Practice CWMA Cooperative Weed Management Area EDRR Early Detection, Rapid Response ESA Environmental Science Associates GIS Geographical Information System GPS Global Positioning System HUC Hydrological Unit Code IWM Integrated Weed Management IWMP Integrated Weed Management Plan JBR JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. NAD North American Datum NDEP Nevada Division of Environmental Protection NDOA Nevada Department of Agriculture NRCS Natural Resource Conservation Service NRS Nevada Revised Statute PPE Personal Protection Equipment UNCE University of Nevada Cooperative Extension UTM Universal Transmercator Metric INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT PLAN – COMSTOCK PROJECT JUNE 2012 JBR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS, INC. iii INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT PLAN COMSTOCK PROJECT 1.0 INTRODUCTION The infestation of noxious and invasive weeds on agricultural lands and rangeland is a serious problem in Nevada and other western states. Noxious weeds, according to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), have invaded about 17 million acres of public rangelands with management costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Weed infestation can result in numerous negative impacts that are extensive and often irreversible. Comstock Mining, LLC (Comstock) is currently operating and conducting exploration drilling near the towns of Virginia City and Gold Hill in Storey and Lyon Counties, Nevada. Vegetation surveys conducted in 2011 have identified several noxious and invasive weed species within the project area. It is the desire of Comstock to prevent the spread of these weeds, to eradiate existing weeds where possible, and to prevent new infestations. To assist with this effort, Comstock contracted JBR Environmental Consultants, Inc. (JBR) to develop an Integrated Weed Management Plan (IWMP) that provides strategies for weed prevention and management. An integrated weed management (IWM) approach is the basis for this plan. IWM is a process of selecting and applying a combination of management techniques (biological, chemical, mechanical, and cultural) that, together, will control a particular weed species or infestation efficiently and effectively, with minimal adverse impacts to non-target organisms. Early Detection and Rapid Response strategies aimed at identifying those weeds that have not yet been discovered in an area, but have been found in surrounding areas are also incorporated into this IWMP to assist Comstock with prevention and early eradiation strategies. The objectives of this IWMP are the following: Prevent the introduction, establishment and spread of invasive plants; Reduce the extent and density of established invasive plants; Protect and maintain desired plant communities from weed invasion; Implement economical, practical and effective weed control methods for target species; Rehabilitate priority areas after treatment to reduce the susceptibility of re-invasion; Provide education about weed management and weed identification; Discuss methods to control any noxious weeds that be discovered in the future (early detection, rapid response); Establish a monitoring protocol for evaluating the success/failure of the prescribed treatments; and Provide contacts and resources for effective and coordinated weed management. INTEGRATED WEED MANAGEMENT PLAN – COMSTOCK PROJECT JUNE 2012 JBR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS, INC. 1 2.0 OVERVIEW OF APPROACH TO WEED MANAGEMENT Most invasive weeds were introduced accidentally or purposefully from other places, most notably Eurasia. Weed seeds have arrived to the U.S. in multiple ways including contaminated soil used as ballast for shipping vessels, shipments of crop seed or hay, and by way of imported animals that can carry weed seeds in their coat or manure. Some species, such as saltcedar, were cultivated for use as erosion control. Many species such as perennial pepperweed, or tall whitetop, were most likely imported for ornamental uses. When settlers began moving west, and with the arrival of the railroad, weeds easily found their way to Impacts of Weed Invasion western rangelands. (Donaldson, 2011*) 1. Native Plants are displaced. Weed species excel at adaptation to their environment, 2. Plant biodiversity is reduced. often outcompeting and replacing the native species. They 3. Invasive weeds affect threatened and can spread in different ways including by wind, water, endangered species. animals and humans. Wind easily blows seeds from a 4. Normal ecological processes, including nutrient and water cycling, are altered. plant to new locations. Surface water flow has been 5. Wildlife habitat is reduced, and forage is shown to carry many kinds of seeds into range and lost. croplands. A study conducted in western Nebraska 6. Recreational values and