Assessment of Non-Chemical Control of Aquatic Plants

Aquatic Pesticide Monitoring Program Review of Alternative Aquatic Pest Control Methods For California Waters Ben K. Greenfield Nicole David Jennifer Hunt Marion Wittmann Geoffrey Siemering San Francisco Estuary Institute 7770 Pardee Lane, 2nd Floor Oakland, CA 94621 April 2004 Aquatic Pesticide Monitoring Program Review of Alternative Aquatic Pest Control Methods For California Waters Table of Contents: Disclaimer and Acknowledgements ..................................................................................iii Introduction......................................................................................................................... 2 Review Design.................................................................................................................... 4 Literature Review............................................................................................................ 5 Practitioner Survey.......................................................................................................... 5 Biological Control Methods................................................................................................ 6 Pros and Cons of Biocontrol........................................................................................... 6 Triploid Grass Carp......................................................................................................... 7 Other Herbivorous Fishes ............................................................................................. 11 Fish Biomanipulation.................................................................................................... 11 Terrestrial Herbivorous Mammals................................................................................ 13 Gastropod Mollusks...................................................................................................... 13 Insects ........................................................................................................................... 14 Predatory Animals For Mosquito Control .................................................................... 16 Commercially Available Biocontrol Agents................................................................. 17 Plant Pathogens Currently In Development.................................................................. 18 Pathogens For Mosquito Control.................................................................................. 20 Cyanobacteria Control Agents Currently in Development........................................... 20 Organic Material Amendment ...................................................................................... 21 Acetic Acid ................................................................................................................... 22 Management Considerations For Organic Material Amendment................................. 23 Plant Competition ......................................................................................................... 24 Physical and Mechanical Control Methods ...................................................................... 25 Mechanical Harvesting ................................................................................................. 25 Environmental Effects of Mechanical Harvesting........................................................ 29 Mechanical Cutting....................................................................................................... 31 Rotovation, Rototilling and Hydroraking ..................................................................... 34 Weed Rollers and Sweepers.......................................................................................... 36 Diver-operated Suction Dredging................................................................................. 37 Sediment Removal........................................................................................................ 37 Shading and Piping ....................................................................................................... 37 Bottom Barriers............................................................................................................. 38 Manual Removal........................................................................................................... 40 Water Level Manipulation ............................................................................................ 42 Channel Clearing or Excavation ................................................................................... 43 Exposure of Plants to Extreme Environmental Conditions (Heat, Steam, Flame, Cold, or Electricity) ................................................................................................................ 45 Aeration, Oxygenation, and Water Circulation ............................................................ 45 Nutrient Removal.......................................................................................................... 48 Non-conventional Chemical Controls............................................................................... 49 Calcium-based Products................................................................................................ 50 Aluminum based products ............................................................................................ 51 Nitrate ........................................................................................................................... 52 i Aquatic Pesticide Monitoring Program Review of Alternative Aquatic Pest Control Methods For California Waters Aquashade..................................................................................................................... 52 Salt (Sodium Chloride) ................................................................................................. 53 NPDES Permitting Status of Non-Conventional Chemicals ........................................ 53 Preventive Measures ......................................................................................................... 54 Early Detection ............................................................................................................. 54 Quarantine and Regulation ........................................................................................... 55 Education and Outreach................................................................................................ 56 Riparian Buffer Strips................................................................................................... 56 Retention Pond or Wetland Construction ..................................................................... 57 Watershed Best Management Practices ........................................................................ 57 Relative Reliance on Conventional Pesticides vs. Alternative Methods .......................... 58 General Permitting Requirements For Non-Chemical Methods....................................... 60 General Discussion ........................................................................................................... 61 References......................................................................................................................... 62 Appendix A: Contractors/ Retailers That Specialize in Non-Chemical Control Methods79 Contractors who conduct Non-Pesticide Control Methods .......................................... 79 Companies that Manufacture and Sell Aquatic Plant Harvesters or Other Non- Chemical Devices ......................................................................................................... 80 Appendix B: Practitioners Interviewed For Review......................................................... 82 California Practitioners ................................................................................................. 82 Out of State Practitioners.............................................................................................. 88 Appendix C: Feasibility Screening For Different Weed Control Methods ...................... 93 Appendix D: Peer Review .............................................................................................. 102 ii Aquatic Pesticide Monitoring Program Review of Alternative Aquatic Pest Control Methods For California Waters DISCLAIMER AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report is the result of feedback by some members of the Aquatic Pesticide Monitoring Program Steering Committee that there is a need for thorough documentation on alternative aquatic pest control methods for California waters. This work is intended as an educational tool, including detailed discussion of alternative methods. This review does not evaluate conventional chemical pesticides; therefore, it should not be considered a guideline on all available aquatic pest control methods. No policy or regulation is expressed or intended by this report. We thank the APMP Steering Committee and Interested Parties for providing feedback and direction on this literature review. Thanks are also due to all the aquatic plant managers, scientists, regulators, and NGOs who agreed to be interviewed and provide literature and unpublished reports for this review. Any errors or omissions in presenting alternative pest control efforts are the responsibility of the authors, rather than those interviewed. David Spencer, George Forni, Lars Anderson, and Robert Leavitt provided constructive review comments on portions of this review, Joe DiTomaso and John Madsen

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