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HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.08 Weed Mgmt PlanCaerus Oil and Gas, LLC Weed Management Plan Piceance Basin May 2018 1. Introduction Caerus Oil and Gas, LLC (Caerus) currently implements several integrated weed management techniques in the Piceance Basin. Because effective weed control is dependent upon multiple varying factors, Caerus strives to assess weed infestations on an individual basis, so that the best site-specific weed management techniques may be customized and executed. Caerus utilizes a combination of cultural, chemical, mechanical and biological controls in everyday weed management throughout the Piceance field. Caerus has established a systematic approach to assessing field conditions and create site-specific prescriptions. The information in this document describes the general processes and timelines of Caerus’ Weed Management Program. 2. Define an Objective Caerus will make management decisions based upon the objective of a treatment. The objective of a weed management effort is defined by the purpose(s) and the goal(s) of the site-specific treatment. 2.2 Weed Management Purposes Caerus may manage weeds for the purpose(s) of: • Conserving land resources, including neighboring agricultural resources and native habitat • Supporting reclamation success • Reducing negative impacts on the landscape, aesthetically • Improving visibility within operational areas for the purpose of human and wildlife safety • Reducing fire hazards for the safety of humans, wildlife and the local environment • Maintaining regulatory compliance A single location or area may have one or many purposes for weed management. 2.3 Weed Management Goals Caerus will manage weed infestations accordingly, based upon the expected outcome or goal of the treatment. The weed management goal is defined by the target specie(s) and the desired management level. Target specie(s) may include: • Annual, non-listed species • State Listed Noxious weeds • Native species that are not deemed desirable by the land owner/manager/regulator Prescribe Treatment Record and Document Efforts Define Objective Monitor for Success Continue Adaptive Management The desired weed management levels that Caerus defines are: • Prevention • Eradication • Containment • Reduction • Maintenance 2.3.1 Prevention Prevention refers to the act of avoiding the introduction of a target species to an area that is currently free of the specie s. Caerus attempts to utilize preventative weed control measures first to avoid the introduction of new species and to reduce the continued spread and/or vigor of existing infestations. Preventative measures include: • washing of machinery between job-sites where isolated weed species are identified (see Section 3) • quarantine of livestock being moved onto Caerus managed properties, when the risk of spreading new species is known (see Section 3) • treatment of existing infestations prior to ground disturbance to reduce spread and vigor and (see Section 4 ) • utilization of non-selective, pre-emergent herbicides to prevent the establishment of unwanted vegetation in industrial areas (see Section 4) 2.3.2 Eradication Eradication refers to the act of completely removing an infestation of a target species from a des ignated area. Eradication is often not practical or attainable. Caerus may aim for eradication of a target species in areas where infestations are caught very early on, after introduction, and are therefore, relatively small in size and not widely distri buted throughout the area. When treating for eradication, the field goal is to kill 100% of the plants in a given infestation. 2.3.3 Containment Containment refers to the act of treating an established weed infestation around the boundaries, so as to avoid the continued spread of the infestation. Containment is usually the best option when large landscapes or watersheds are very heavily infested to the point where regaining the lost areas would be impractical. Here, managing parties would set the goal to keep the target species from spreading beyond the current borders. When containment is the goal, resources are focused on treating the p erimeter of the infested area and inward, to the distance that the target species would be expected to spread. The goal is to kill 100% of the weeds within a defined perimeter only. The infested areas within that perimeter may be left alone, or managed with another management level goal. In other words, within the confinement boundary, the infestation may be treated for reducti on, maintenance or be left untreated. 2.3.4 Reduction Reduction refers to the act of treating an established weed infestation with the goal of reducing the density and numbers of the target specie(s). The majority of Caerus treatments are done with the goal of reducing infestations. Reduction efforts aim to kill 80% of the weeds within a treatment area. 2.3.5 Maintenance Maintenance refers to the act of treating an established weed infestation with the goal of maintaining the density and size o f the infestation. In addition to reduction, Caerus manages for maintenance quite often. Maintenance efforts aim to kill 70% of the weeds within a treatment area. 2.4 Defining a Weed Management Objective The following matrix may be utilized to establish, document, and communicate Weed Management Objectives: Resource Conservation Reclamation Support Aesthetics Visibility Fire Hazard Reduction bareground yellow toadflax knapweeds hoary cress biennial thistles houndstongue common mullein canada thistle misc. annuals P Prevention E Eradication C Containment R Reduction M Management Weed Management Purposes W e e d S p e c i e s Management Levels Legend Using the matrix above, choose the purposes and target species of a defined weed management area. Blanks have been provided for other entries. Specify the desired, practical Management Level in the appropriate boxes. 3. Define a Weed Management Area Considering the Weed Management Objective, Caerus will define, geographically, the Weed Management Area that would fall under the objective. 4. Prescribe a Treatment After the Weed Management Objective and Weed Management Area are defined, Caerus and/or Caerus-hired contractors will assess and prescribe any combination of the following post -emergent weed control methods: • Cultural (see Section 4.1) • Chemical (see Section 4.2) • Mechanical (see Section 4.3) • Biological (see Section 4.4) 4.1 Cultural Weed Management Caerus has modified their operating culture to consider the prevention of weed seed introduction, early detection/ rapid response (EDRR), rotation management, and grazing monitoring & livestock management where Caerus has authority. Caerus encourages all Third-Party companies and contractors to clean dirt-moving equipment prior to mobilization into new areas, especially when equipment is previously used in areas known to harbor infestatio ns that do not currently exist in the new area of disturbance. . To support rapid response, Caerus contracts with weed abatement contractors who are on -call throughout the spring, summer and fall months. EHS Staff also carry tools for mechanical weed removal, in the circumstance that a few, isolated weeds are approached during regular field activities. Caerus establishes treatment rotations on Caerus-managed properties to ensure that all known infestations that exist on undisturbed areas are controlled. By keeping weed infestations controlled on a landscape basis, the risk of spread onto disturbed areas is reduced. A rotation system ensures that high visibility areas are not the only areas treated; the more remote infestations are treated as well. Due to the high level of livestock and wildlife in many of these remote areas, this cultural practice reduces the spread of weed seed by animal vectors. Lastly, where Caerus has authority, livestock grazing plans, pasture rotations, pasture monitoring and inventory plans are implemented to assess and minimize the impacts of grazing on desirable, competitive plant communities. 4.2 Chemical Management Caerus utilizes both pre-emergent and post-emergent chemical treatments for the control of non-listed and noxious weed species. Chemical means of weed control are the most commonly utilized weed management technique. 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 Caerus sites are inventoried, monitored and sprayed a minimum of 1-4 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 Caerus’ data management system (ACTS) as reported on contractor invoices and daily pesticide application records (PARs). The first site visit and herbicide application is done in the early spring of the approaching growing season or in the fall of the previous year. Non-selective, residual herbicide is applied on compacted working surfaces around equipment, at a minimum, as a safety precaution on active sites. This treatment type also prevents the prevalence and spread of 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 newly emerging weeds, or rosette “flushes” for sites treated in the fall. The second site visit and treatment is done in spring to early summer. This post-emergent 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, herbicide efficacy is monitored, and a mid-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. F ollowing this step, the non-selective, pre-emergent 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 characte ristics (i.e. elevation, soils, topography, moisture, etc.) and also upon the various label requirements and recommended target growth stages of the herbicides being used. 4.3 Mechanical Weed Management Second to chemical means of control, Caerus utilizes 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. Caerus 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, Caerus will employ mechanical removal as a second resort when chemical weed control means are not an effective option, such as on dry roadsides or in areas where chemical resistance may be suspected. 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 pref erred because it not only kills the plants but removes the biomass (fuel). Generally, mechanical weed removal is conducted during the late summer and early fall. 4.4 Biological Weed Management Caerus will consider the integration of biological weed control agents in highly infested landscapes that are not good candidates for chemical or mechanical control, alone, either based upon topography, infestation size, spatial relativity to potentially impacted wildlife habitat or a combination of these factors. Informal monitoring will be conducted and recorded. 5. Record and Document Efforts Caerus utilizes standardized reporting, invoicing, and inspection processes. PAR forms are stored in an ACTS database. 6. Monitor for Success Caerus will continue to check and conduct ocular monitoring on all weed management projects. If deemed necessary, Caerus may utilize quantitative monitoring as well. 7. Continue Adaptive Management Caerus will review the objectives and how goals were met with field management personnel and contractors annually. Caerus will take lessons learned from these reviews and adjust goals and inputs, as needed. 8. Conclusion Due to the highly-fragmented, linear structure of many of the surfaces managed by Caerus, successful weed management proves to be challenging and dynamic. A great deal of communication and cooperation between landowners, county representatives, and federal government agencies is necessary to effectively manage weed infestations on a local, landscape basis. Caerus is committed to maintaining this communication and cooperative work.