2008-09 SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INVASIVE SPARTINA PROJECT TREATMENT REPORT FOR 2008-09 San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project 2008-2009 Treatment Report Prepared by: Erik Grijalva & Drew Kerr for the California State Coastal Conservancy San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project 2612-A 8th Street Berkeley, CA 94710 February 2011 Acknowledgements The authors of this report wish to gratefully acknowledge the significant contributions of the ISP Monitoring Program in mapping the non-native Spartina infestations each year over 50,000 acres of estuarine habitat around San Francisco Bay. This tireless work informs the ISP Control Program with data used for treatment planning, provides early detection of new pioneering infestations, and produces the net acreage estimates listed at the beginning of each site complex in this report. The staff members involved with Spartina mapping for the 2008 & 2009 seasons included Monitoring Program Manager Ingrid Hogle, Assistant Monitoring Program Manager Tripp McCandlish, Clapper Rail Program Manager Jen McBroom, and ISP Biologists Ode Bernstein, Stephanie Chen, Jeanne Hammond, Jude Stalker, Whitney Thornton, and Vicki Trabold. In addition, Tripp McCandlish produced the site maps which appear in Appendix III. Thanks also to ISP’s Office Administrator Stephanie Ericson for her assistance with formatting the report and for her work on the cover layout. Cover Photos Background – Jose Botello from Aquatic Environments Inc. treating San Pablo Marsh by airboat Inset photos (from left to right) – Drew Kerr from ISP mowing persistent necromass of Spartina densiflora at Creekside Park (photo courtesy of Sandy Guldman, Friends of Corte Madera Creek Watershed); Jay Kasheta from Clean Lakes Inc. spot treating the scattered remnants of hybrid Spartina alterniflora at Elsie Roemer Marsh; James Counts from San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District treating San Bruno Marsh by Argo. This report was prepared for the California Coastal Conservancy’s San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 1 2008-2009 Spartina Control Program ........................................................................................ 3 2008-2010 Site Specific Plans ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Earlier Treatment ........................................................................................................................................................... 5 Conservancy Grantees and Responsibilities .............................................................................................................. 6 Treatment Results and Trends ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Adaptation and Refinement of Treatment Methods ................................................................................................ 8 A Shift from Aerial to Ground-Based Treatment ................................................................................................ 9 Airboat Treatment on Mudflats ............................................................................................................................11 Spartina densiflora Eradication .................................................................................................................................12 Integrated Vegetation Management at Work ......................................................................................................12 Monitoring Program Coordination ...........................................................................................................................13 Treatment Monitoring ............................................................................................................................................14 Data Integrity ...........................................................................................................................................................14 Herbicide Selection for Spartina Treatment .............................................................................................................15 Lessons Learned and Plans for 2010 .........................................................................................................................17 Background Information ......................................................................................................... 19 History of Invasion ......................................................................................................................................................19 Impact of Invasion .......................................................................................................................................................20 Limiting Factors for Spartina Control .......................................................................................................................21 Summary of Invasive Spartina Project .......................................................................................................................22 Regional Planning Approach .................................................................................................................................22 Identify Partners – Provide Grants ......................................................................................................................22 Grants & Collaboration with Partners .................................................................................................................23 Prepare Environmental Documents .....................................................................................................................23 Prepare Site Specific Plans .....................................................................................................................................23 Clapper Rail Monitoring ..............................................................................................................................................23 Regulatory Requirements ........................................................................................................ 25 CEQA/NEPA ..............................................................................................................................................................25 Programmatic PEIS/EIR .......................................................................................................................................25 Tiered CEQA documents ......................................................................................................................................25 Regulatory Compliance ...............................................................................................................................................25 Tiered Biological Opinion ......................................................................................................................................25 NPDES Permitting ......................................................................................................................................................27 Aquatic Pesticide Application Plan (APAP) .......................................................................................................27 Water Quality Monitoring Plan (WQMP) ...........................................................................................................28 Site 1: Alameda Flood Control Channel................................................................................... 29 Acreage Summary .........................................................................................................................................................29 Sub-area 1a - Channel Mouth .....................................................................................................................................30 Site Description .......................................................................................................................................................30 2008 Treatment ........................................................................................................................................................30 2009 Treatment ........................................................................................................................................................30 Sub-area 1b - Lower Channel .....................................................................................................................................30 San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project i 2008-2009 Treatment Report Site Description ....................................................................................................................................................... 30 2008 Treatment ....................................................................................................................................................... 31 2009 Treatment ....................................................................................................................................................... 32 Sub-area 1c - Upper Channel (a) 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