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Invasive Aquatic Plant Control for Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge Reservoirs, Montana: an Adaptive Management Plan

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Invasive Aquatic Plant Control for Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge Reservoirs, Montana: an Adaptive Management Plan Invasive Aquatic Plant Control for Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge Reservoirs, Montana: An Adaptive Management Plan KD Getsinger, PhD Environmental Laboratory US Army Engineer Research and Development Center Vicksburg, MS JD Madsen, PhD US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Exotic and Invasive Weeds Research Unit University of California – Davis Davis, CA G Turnage Mississippi State University Geosystem Research Institute Starkville, MS J Badger Montana State University Sanders County Extension Unit Thompson Falls, MT Prepared for: Sanders County Aquatic Invasive Plants Task Force Thompson Falls, MT Geosystems Research Institute Report # 5074 April 2017 2 CONTENTS Preface……………………………………………………………………………………….4 Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………….. 5 List of Tables and Figures………………………………………………………………….7 1 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Background…………………………………………………………………………........ 9 Noxon Rapids Reservoir………………………………………………………............9 Cabinet Gorge Reservoir……………………………………………………………...9 Aquatic Plant Communities in the Reservoirs…………………………………...........9 Aquatic Plant Management Efforts: 2009-2014…………………………………….......11 Objectives……………………………………………………………………………….12 2 Development of an Adaptive Management Plan…………………………………..…12 Overview………………………………………………………………………………..12 Problem Assessment………………………………………………………………........13 Recommendations……………………………………………………………….......13 Project Management……………………………………………………………………14 Recommendations…………………………………………………………………...14 Management Goals………………………………………………………………….....14 Adaptive Management………………………………………………………………14 Concept of Maintenance Control……………………………………………………15 Maintenance Control as Applied to the Reservoirs…………………………………16 Recommendations…………………………………………………………………...18 Vegetation Monitoring………………………………………………………………....19 Recommendations…………………………………………………………………..20 Management Actions with Herbicides…………………………………………………20 Demonstrations – Noxon Rapids Reservoir…………………………………………21 Operational Treatments – Noxon Rapids Reservoir………………………………...22 Operational Treatments – Cabinet Gorge Reservoir………………………………...23 Overall Assessment of Herbicide Treatments……………………………………….24 Triclopyr…………………………………………………………………………24 Endothall…………………………………………………………………………24 Triclopyr + Endothall…………………………………………………………..25 Diquat…………………………………………………………………………..25 3 Diquat + Endothall……………………………………………………………..26 Recommendations………………………………………………………………….26 Management of Other Invasive Plants……………………………………………..28 Curlyleaf Pondweed………………………………………………………………28 Flowering Rush…………………………………………………………………...28 Hybrid Watermilfoils……………………………………………………………..28 Recommendations………………………………………………………………...29 Science-based Management………………………………………………………….29 Recommendations………………………………………………………………....30 Education and Outreach……………………………………………………………...30 Recommendations………………………………………………………………....31 Program Evaluation…………………………………………………………………..32 Recommendations………………………………………………………………...32 3 General Conclusions and Recommendations………… ……………………………..32 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………..32 Recommendations……………………………………………………………………33 4 References………………………………………………………………………………34 Tables and Figures………………………………………………………………………...38 4 Preface Using a systematic and organized effort, a dedicated task force rallied the stakeholder community to accept the challenge of protecting local waterways from the damage associated with an aggressive invasive plant, Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM). Linking sound science with site-specific management practices, EWM was reduced in Noxon Rapids Reservoir from a peak of 364 acres in 2009 to a treatable infestation of ~ 8 acres in 2014 - representing a decline of 98%. This level of removal of invasive EWM was accomplished over a 5-year period through carefully planned and prudent applications of environmentally compatible aquatic herbicides. The success of this chemical control strategy was predicated on a comprehensive applied research and development process involving many groups over several decades. By any measure, this ecological restoration achievement has been a success for managing a submersed invasive plant in a large and complex water body. As an added benefit, the valuable native plant community is thriving in the littoral zone of the reservoir, once heavily infested with EWM. In spite of this achievement, an unexpected recovery of EWM populations in Noxon Rapids Reservoir occurred in 2015, and ultimately some 150 acres required additional treatments. Widespread growth of EWM was also reported in other water bodies in the region, indicating that natural events provided optimal growth conditions for the plant in 2015 – a factor, among others, that must be considered when developing long-term management strategies. The vast experiences and lessons gained after seven years of management efforts (2009-2015) has led to a need for development of long term management strategies and goals for Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge reservoirs. This will be accomplished by using data and information from the 7-year period of treatments and plant assessment records, and other pertinent information. The following document will help guide those future management strategies. Support and cooperation for this report were provided by the Sanders County Aquatic Invasive Plants Task Force, Avista, the Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation, Clean Lakes, Cold Water Environmental, Hanson Environmental, Aquatechnex, Montana State University, Mississippi State University, the US Department of Agriculture, and the US Army Corps of Engineers. Pertinent information from many agencies, managers, consultants, applicators, scientists, and other experts, was reviewed and cited in this work. Special thanks are extended to Kim Bergstrom, Ruth Watkins, Nate Hall, Tanner Mitchell, Celestine Duncan, Brian Burky, Danny Mackay, John Halpop, Jim Marshall, and the residents of, and visitors to, Sanders County Montana. DISCLAIMER: The contents of this report are not to be used for advertising, publication, or promotional purposes. Citation of trade names or products does not constitute an official endorsement or approval of the use of such commercial products. 5 Executive Summary By 2008, the invasive plants Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM), curlyleaf pondweed, and flowering rush were spreading in Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge reservoirs, with EWM being the most problematic species. A series of herbicide demonstrations to control EWM were conducted in Noxon Rapids Reservoir from 2009 to 2011, linking bulk water exchange processes with performance of the herbicides triclopyr, endothall, and diquat. Based on these successful demonstrations, operational programs to control EWM were implemented in Noxon Rapids Reservoir (2010, 2012-2015 and Cabinet Gorge Reservoir (2014-15). As a result, dense EWM populations were reduced by 98% in Noxon Rapids Reservoir, and 77% in several Cabinet Gorge Reservoir sites through 2014. Moreover, the reservoirs continued to support a healthy and diverse community of native plants, providing valuable fish and wildlife habitat and other ecosystem services during this time. However, surveys conducted prior to 2015 treatments indicated an unexpected resurgence of EWM growth in Noxon Rapids Reservoir (a natural event that occurred in water bodies region- wide), and ~ 150 acres required treatment in July and August 2015. Since management resources were limited, only 20 acres were treated on Cabinet Gorge during that period. Six- week and 12-month post treatments injury rankings (September 2015, August 2016) showed control ranging from 75-98% in most of the treated plots in Noxon Rapids Reservoir and 85-88% in the Cabinet Gorge Reservoir plots. The primary objective of this document is the development of an adaptive management plan for long term management of invasive species in Noxon Rapids and Cabinet Gorge reservoirs. Conducting problem assessments, project management, management goals, vegetation monitoring, management actions, science-based management, education outreach, and program evaluation. Problem assessments should be conducted for all invasive plant species established in the reservoirs (e.g., EWM, curlyleaf pondweed, hybrid watermilfoil, and flowering rush). Conducting problem assessments led to a successful operational control program against EWM and is a key component in developing a maintenance control plan to keep invasive plant populations at low levels. Using this approach, a maintenance control plan can be developed to keep invasive plant populations at low levels thereby sustaining the uses and functions of the reservoirs and reducing environmental and economic impacts. Specific management goals included in the adaptive management plan will support selection of specific strategies, which is critical when controlling invasive plants with herbicides in complex and dynamic reservoirs. The current herbicide control program has shown that EWM levels could be maintained at < 5% of the littoral zone, and at < 50% density in local sites (i.e. no dense EWM beds), while maintaining native plant populations in the reservoirs. Over time, maintenance level control 6 program goals will be the most cost-effective strategy, will keep EWM populations at acceptable levels, and will minimize the use of herbicides. Reliable plant surveys that quantify infestation levels of problem plants, combined with accurate identification and prioritization of treatment areas, will be the key to ensure the success of an adaptive management-maintenance control approach. Successful control programs
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