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HomeMy WebLinkAbout7-202.C.3 Weed Mgmt PlanArticle 7-202.C.3 Noxious Weed Plan Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc K19NE Storage Facility (Laydown Yard) OA Project No. 014-2797 encana.. Introduction natural gas Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Weed Management Effort Summary July, 2010 Encana Oil & Gas (USA) (Encana) is currently implementing several integrated weed management techniques in the Piceance Basin. Whenever possible, weed infestations are assessed on an individual basis, such that the best, site-specific weed management techniques may be executed. Encana employs the benefits of chemical, mechanical, biological, cultural or an integration of these methods in everyday weed management throughout the Piceance field. Chemical Management Chemical means of weed control are the most commonly utilized weed management technique at this point in time. The frequency of this treatment method is mostly attributed to the financial feasibility, speed and relative consistency in results associated with herbicide applications. In general, most Encana sites are inventoried, monitored and sprayed a minimum of 3-4 times per year, based upon the accessibility and known infestation status of the site. With every visit, commercial pesticide applicators monitor previous treatments for effectiveness, inventory for new or surviving plants and treat the site. Documentation of this event is recorded into Encana's Noxious Weed Management Database as reported on contractor invoices and daily pesticide application records. The first site visit and herbicide application is done in the early spring of the approaching growing season or in the late fall of the previous year. At this time, non-selective, residual herbicide applications are made as a safety precaution on active sites. This treatment type also prevents annual weed infestations that are commonly observed on fresh and frequently disturbed sites. During this treatment, pesticide applicators inspect the location and surrounding areas for very young newly emerging weeds, or rosette "flushes" in the circumstance that the site is treated in the fall. The second site visit and treatment is done in spring to early summer. This treatment is intended to target early perennials (hoary cress, primarily), biennial rosettes and annual "obnoxious weeds" such as Russian thistle and kochia. Again, pesticide applicators will inventory the area for later maturing plant species such as Russian knapweed. During the third site visit a mid to late summer inventory is conducted with intentions to spray late - bolting biennials and budding perennials; furthermore, mechanical removal of flowers and seed heads on biennial species (most commonly musk thistle) may also be done around this time. Lastly, on many sites, a late -summer to fall herbicide treatment may be applied on creeping perennials such as Canada thistle and Russian knapweed in order to best capture the opportunity for the use of translocated herbicides. Following this step, the non-selective treatments described above will be used where applicable, and the cycle will start again. This treatment plan is highly site -dependent, thus variations inevitably occur based upon individual site characteristics (i.e. elevation, soils, topography, moisture, etc.) and also upon the various label requirements and recommended target growth stages of the herbicides being used. Mechanical Weed Management Second to chemical means of control, Encana utilized mechanical weed management on a frequent basis. Large-scale mowing or "brush -hogging" projects are primarily executed on reclaimed sites that support a desirable plant component, but which also support a significant, spatially -competitive weed community. Generally, these treatments target annual, non -listed weed types. Encana makes a special effort to utilize mechanical weed management techniques in the early stages of reclamation, so as not to disturb newly establishing native and desirable plants. Additionally, Encana will employ mechanical removal as a second resort when chemical weed control means are not an effective option. These treatments are typically goaled towards the removal of weeds when the growth stage of the target specie is not compatible with chemical control (i.e. removal of thistle seed heads following bolt and flower). Additionally, in the case of fuels reduction for safety purposes, mechanical control is preferred with the objective at hand. Generally, mechanical weed removal is conducted throughout the summer and early fall. Biological Weed Management Encana has introduced the presence of biological weed control agents in recent years and is in the early stages of monitoring and considering the continued use of similar resources. At this time, Encana has released a limited number of biological control agents. These have been released at sites that were not candidates for chemical or mechanical control, either based upon topography, infestation size, spatial relativity to potentially impacted wildlife habitat or a combination of these factors. All releases to date have been established near the property boundaries of weed -harboring neighbors and have been incorporated with some chemical and mechanical means. Casual ocular monitoring has been conducted and landscape photographs have been taken and recorded. Due to the youth of these projects and the expected long-term results of biological controls, little change has been observed at this point. Cultural Weed Manaqement As cultural weed management tools, Encana emphasizes on prevention, early detection/ rapid response (EDRR), and grazing monitoring and rotation grazing, where applicable. As prevention, Encana requires Third Party companies and contractors to clean dirt -moving equipment prior to mobilization into new areas. Encana provides annual, in-house weed identification trainings to their Environmental Field Coordinators to assist in early detection. To support rapid response, Environmental Field Coordinators also carry tools and instructions for mechanical weed removal, in the circumstance that a few, isolated weeds are approached during regular field activities. Lastly, where Encana has authority, livestock grazing plans, pasture rotations and monitoring and inventory plans are implemented to assess and minimize the impacts of grazing on weed infestations and wildlife habitat. Conclusion Due to the primarily fragmented, linear structure of the surfaces managed by Encana, successful weed control proves to be challenging and dynamic. Additionally, because Encana's surfaces are relatively small in scale, a great deal of communication and cooperation between landowners, county representatives and federal government agencies is necessary to effectively and sustainably control, isolate and eradicate weed infestations on a local, landscape basis. To meet these challenges, Encana utilizes standardized reporting, invoicing and inspection processes that are all logged and documented in an Access Database.