Eradication of South American Spongeplant in Shasta County, California

Eradication of South American Spongeplant in Shasta County, California

The proposed project consists of a program to eradicate an infestation of South American spongeplant from a 4.5-acre pond near the Sacramento River in a housing development in Redding. South American spongeplant is an 'A' rated aquatic noxious weed that has the potential, if allowed to spread downstream from the current infestation, to clog waterways, block water control structures, and supplant native plants, degrading the native ecosystem and impacting the growth and reproduction of fish and wildlife resources. The principle eradication methods to be used in this project will be aquatic herbicides and hand removal. Hand removal would be used along the canal between the pond and the river. The aquatic herbicide glyphosate would be sprayed on spongeplants in the pond. Glyphosate herbicide is also rapidly absorbed in soil and sediment particles in the water column and the hydrosoil; therefore there is low potential for glyphosate residues to move downstream and/or to leach into the groundwater. In addition, according to the glyphosate label, "There is no restriction on the use of treated water for irrigation, recreation or domestic purposes". All applications will be made according to label directions and under the supervision of a Qualified Applicator. In order to prevent any downstream movement of the aquatic herbicide, all applications will be made in the summer to actively growing plants, in accordance with label instructions, and after the snowmelt and large releases have ceased from Shasta Dam. In addition, a sandbag dam will be constructed in the canal to prevent movement of water to the river for three days after application. In order to confirm that downstream herbicide movement is not occurring, the CDFA will institute a water-monitoring program in the pond and the river. After site inspection and review of the California natural Diversity Data Base, it was determined that there is one state and federally listed endangered species in the project area, the winter run Chinook (King) Salmon. CDFA biologists will consult with the CDFA Environmental Officer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-Fisheries, and the California Department of Fish and Game in order to insure that all aquatic herbicide applications are made after the winter run Chinook salmon has completed its spawning run up the river and that the species is otherwise not adversely affected by the project.

Redding

Shasta