Vegetation Management Plan
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Vegetation Management Plan A Control Practice For Imperial Irrigation District’s Water Distribution and Drainage System August 2010 Vegetation Management Unit Acknowledgments This report was prepared with the cooperation of the following agency staff. A special thanks to the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors and Management, Imperial County Farm Bureau, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and Imperial County Agricultural Department for their assistance and support as the Imperial Irrigation District Water Department engages in a new era of doing business. David Watson, Project Manager Imperial Irrigation District Vegetation Management Unit P.O. Box 937 Imperial, CA 92251 Vickie Doyle, Engineer Assistant Imperial Irrigation District Resources, Planning, & Management PO Box 937 Imperial, CA 92251 Steve Charlton, Engineer Imperial Irrigation District Resources, Planning, & Management PO Box 937 Imperial, CA 92251 Bruce Wilcox, Environmental Project Manager, Sr. Imperial Irrigation District Water Transfer PO Box 937 Imperial, CA 92251 Linsey Dale, Executive Director Imperial County Farm Bureau 1000 Broadway El Centro, CA 92243 Al Kalin, On-Farm TMDL Consultant Imperial County Farm Bureau 1000 Broadway El Centro, CA 92243 Candace Nelson, Program Manager Imperial County Farm Bureau 1000 Broadway El Centro, CA 92243 Jose Angel, Assistant Executive Officer Regional Water Quality Control Board Colorado River Basin, Region 7 73-720 Fred Waring Dr., Suite 100 Palm Desert, CA 92260 VMP August 2010 ii Table of Contents Page Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................... ii List of Tables ................................................................................................................ iv 1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 5 Imperial Irrigation District ............................................................................................. 5 Service Area............................................................................................................. 6 Imperial Irrigation District’s Water Distribution and Drainage System ...................... 6 Vegetation Management Unit Goals and Objectives ................................................... 7 2.0 Vegetation Management .................................................................................... 8 Imperial Irrigation District Vegetation Management Policy ........................................... 8 Regional Vegetation Management Governances ........................................................ 8 Regulations .............................................................................................................. 8 Vegetation Management Unit Functions .................................................................... 10 Vegetation Management Activities ......................................................................... 10 Sediment Reducing Maintenance Plan .................................................................. 11 Emergency Response Responsibilities .................................................................. 11 3.0 Vegetation Control Procedures ....................................................................... 11 Mechanical Procedure ............................................................................................... 12 Chemical Procedure .................................................................................................. 12 Biological Procedure .................................................................................................. 13 Revegetation Procedure ............................................................................................ 13 Beneficial Plants ........................................................................................................ 14 4.0 Vegetation Monitoring and Evaluation ........................................................... 15 Drain Evaluation ........................................................................................................ 15 Monitoring Water Quality ........................................................................................... 15 Weed Inventories and Mapping ................................................................................. 15 5.0 Education and Training .................................................................................... 16 Awareness and Education Objectives ....................................................................... 16 Training Objectives .................................................................................................... 16 References ................................................................................................................... 17 Appendix A Water Construction Resources Section ..................................................... 18 Appendix B Vegetation Control Strategy ....................................................................... 20 Appendix C Proposed Vegetation Management Policy ................................................. 26 Appendix D Imperial Valley Weeds (Undesirable Plant Species) .................................. 30 Appendix E Weed Observation and Monitoring Form ................................................... 33 Appendix F Provisional List of Beneficial Plants ............................................................ 35 Appendix G Acronyms ................................................................................................... 39 VMP August 2010 iii List of Tables Table 3.1 Vegetation Maintenance Program Herbicides ............................................... 13 VMP August 2010 iv 1.0 Introduction The purpose of this Vegetation Management Plan (Plan) is to document the goals and objectives to be implemented by the Vegetation Management Unit (VMU) supporting the enhancement of water quality within the Imperial Irrigation District (District) drain shed by reducing sediment loads in conveyance channels. For earthen channels, proper maintenance of side-slopes will assist with erosion control by reducing sedimentation. Plants believed to be beneficial may be used to maintain the integrity of side- slopes on earthen channels. This plan is a best management practice that will be utilized as a guide by District maintenance staff and management, it will be modified by District management when appropriate, (i.e. a living document) and implemented under the authority of District Water Department management. Substantial resources and time will be required to sufficiently alter the traditional maintenance practices that the Water Department has been accustomed to. Under the new system, mechanical maintenance will typically proceed from upstream to downstream (in the direction of flow) so that silt-laden water is filtered by nuisance vegetation before the vegetation is removed. This approach requires additional training for equipment operators and their supervisors. The Plan will be coordinated with the District’s Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP) programs. The VMU will work cooperatively with other agencies to assist in the prevention and control of noxious and invasive weeds in District canals and drains. Studies will be completed to identify and report invasive plant species, log and map areas of infestation, and determine the best site-specific vegetation control methods considering all pertinent variables. A vegetation control strategy to implement goals and objectives will be developed and distributed to upper management to ensure Plan goals are being met within the desired timeframe. To monitor goal accomplishments, the Vegetation Manager will analyze the performance metrics and report the progress to the Water Department managers. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) establish the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water may receive while achieving water quality standards. The District has initiated efforts that will help to meet required sedimentation/siltation TMDL levels established within its service area by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Colorado River Basin Region 7. TMDLs describe a specific water quality attainment strategy for a water body and related impairment identified on the 303(d) list of the Federal Clean Water Act and then oversees and monitors the improvement of the impaired water body to reach the goals set forth in the TMDL. Water quality and the environment are important to the District, which is why the District is taking a proactive approach to update practices and find alternative ways to implement its maintenance program. The Vegetation Manager shall remain sensitive to environmental concerns, regulations, and the requirements of the HCP and NCCP programs. It is also a goal of the VMU to heighten the District’s and the public’s awareness of these types of environmental issues by collecting and disseminating accurate information about environmentally sound vegetation management practices. The discussion of vegetation management principles is important in managing growth of desirable vegetation by controlling the growth of undesirable vegetation. Each site needs to be assessed initially and periodically during the maintenance cycle. Methods used by the District to manage vegetation include mechanical, chemical, biological, and revegetation processes. Specific activities involved with these