Aquatic weed control efforts planned near Newport

NEWPORT — Pend Oreille River residents across the border in Washington state will likely see contractors, hired by the Pend Oreille County Noxious Weed Board, performing aquatic weed control work in the river over the next few months.

The contractors will be using diver assisted suction harvesting, as well as some herbicide treatment along the Pend Oreille River, primarily for management of flowering rush. In the Box Canyon Reservoir, from state line (plus the Rotary Park boat launch) to Riverbend, aquatic weed solutions will be performing DASH, as will aquatic weed harvesters, from Box Canyon Dam to the south end of Riverbend, while Aquatechnex will be doing herbicide treatment. Diversified diver specialties will be performing DASH in the Boundary Reservoir, between Box Canyon and Boundary dams.

Landowners along the river were mailed notices earlier this month with the option to opt out of chemical treatment. Those who opted out will not be treated; however, if a neighbor choses to have a contractor treat his/her frontage for milfoil, residents may see a notice posted nearby or on their dock/shoreline, because it is a legal requirement to post within a quarter mile of a treatment area.

Flowering rush is a Class A noxious weed in Washington state, so eradication is a priority under state law. Flowering rush is an aggressive weed that spreads quickly and easily, creating dense stands that negatively impact native fish and plant species, and interferes with boating, fishing and swimming. It is also a great home for a species of snail and its parasites that cause swimmer’s itch. It is not recommended to manually pull or dig flowering rush, as that can break and release rhizome fragments, which is typically how this plant spreads. Using the DASH method, the contractors are able to pull and remove all parts of the plant.

While milfoil is a nuisance to waterfront landowners and recreationists, it is only designated for control in lakes in Pend Oreille County, so it is up to landowners to take on that task, either themselves or by hiring contractors. If performing the work yourself, be sure to adhere to any permitting requirements. There are other management options besides herbicide, such as hand tools to remove milfoil and other aquatic weeds from the shoreline or around the dock. The Weed Board has some of these tools available to rent. While the Weed Board is not funded for control of milfoil, there is cost-share available for landowners along the Box Canyon Reservoir of the Pend Oreille River, who use non-herbicide methods to manage aquatic weeds. The cost-share program is through partnership with the Pend Oreille Public Utility District.

If you are interested in the aquatic cost-share program, contact the Weed Board or visit our website at www.pendoreilleco.org/weedboard and click on the Aquatic Workshop & Cost Share tab. For more information on the cost-share program and weed management methods, look for the Weed Board’s aquatic workshop held each July. You can also view videos from this year’s program on the website. For questions, email noxweedinfo@pendoreille.org, or call 509-447-2402.