B.08.02 170822 Final Aquatic Integrated Pest Management Program Instructions.pdf

AQUATIC PEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

WALLA WALLA DISTRICT

MANAGED LANDS

Implementation Instructions

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District

Date: August 22, 2017 ii

ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................. IV

1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... - 5 -

2. PURPOSE..................................................................................................................................... - 5 -

3. “ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS” ..................................................................................................... - 6 -

4. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................................................... - 7 -

5. CURRENT TARGET SPECIES .......................................................................................................... - 7 -

5.1. VEGETATION................................................................................................................................. - 7 -

5.2. EARLY DETECTION RAPID RESPONSE (EDRR) ...................................................................................... - 9 -

6. APPLICATION WINDOWS .......................................................................................................... - 10 -

6.1. ALL DISTRICT AREAS EXCEPT MILL CREEK ......................................................................................... - 10 -

6.2. MILL CREEK ................................................................................................................................ - 10 -

6.3. RATIONALE FOR TIMING RESTRICTIONS ............................................................................................ - 10 -

7. CHEMICAL APPLICATION METHODS .......................................................................................... - 12 -

7.1. HAND/SELECT ............................................................................................................................ - 12 -

7.2. SPOT ......................................................................................................................................... - 13 -

7.3. BROADCAST ............................................................................................................................... - 13 -

8. HERBICIDES & CHEMICALS CONTROLS ...................................................................................... - 13 -

9. MANUAL CONTROLS ................................................................................................................. - 15 -

10. MECHANICAL CONTROLS .......................................................................................................... - 17 -

11. BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS ............................................................................................................ - 17 -

12. TREATMENT AREA LIMITS ......................................................................................................... - 17 -

13. ROVER TREATMENTS ................................................................................................................ - 20 -

14. BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ............................................................................................... - 20 -

15. RESEEDING/SITE RESTORATION ................................................................................................ - 23 -

16. ANTICIPATED USE AND ACTUAL USE RECORDS AND DATA ....................................................... - 23 -

OVERVIEW OF IPMP GIS ........................................................................................................................... - 23 - Purpose ........................................................................................................................................... - 23 - Flow of information ........................................................................................................................ - 24 -

INSTRUCTIONS .......................................................................................................................................... - 26 - Instructions for Realty Specialists .................................................................................................. - 26 - Instructions for Applicators (Grantees): PDF Records ................................................................... - 26 - Instructions for Applicators (Operations): PDF Records ................................................................ - 29 - Instructions for Applicators (OPS): Geodatabase .......................................................................... - 32 - Instructions for Applicators (Grantees / Contractors): Geodatabase ........................................... - 32 - Instructions for Project and District Pest Managers ..................................................................... - 32 - Instructions for NWW HQ GIS Staff ............................................................................................... - 33 -

ATTACHMENT 1: SAVE AND EMAIL DATA AS AN XML FILE FROM A PDF RECORD USING THE RECORD’S ‘EMAIL DATA’ BUTTON (ACROBAT XI READER) ................................................................................................................... - 33 - ATTACHMENT 2: PERFORMING QA OF XML DATA (ACROBAT X PRO) ................................................................. - 36 - ATTACHMENT 3: GPS COORDINATE AND RADIUS DATA .................................................................................... - 43 -

17. ESA LISTED PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE DISTRICT ................................................................. - 49 -iii

APPENDIX A: AORS, HMUS, AND OUTGRANTED AREAS ..................................................................... - 50 -iv

Acronyms

AOR Area of responsibility APHIS Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, USDA APMP Aquatic Pest Management Program BA Biological assessment BMP Best Management Practice Corps U.S. Army Corps of Engineers db Database EDRR early detection rapid response/ eradication ESA Endangered Species Act GIS Geographic Information System GPS Global Positioning System IDFG Idaho Department of Fish and Game IPM Integrated Pest Management IPMP Integrated Pest Management Program mph Miles per Hour NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service O&M Operations and maintenance ODFW Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife OHWM Ordinary High Water Mark USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture USFS U.S. Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WDFW Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife WS Wildlife Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS), USDA

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1. Introduction

The purpose of this document is to provide instructions for implementation of aquatic pest management activities and associated record keeping under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Walla Walla District’s (District) Aquatic Pest Management Program (APMP). federal administered lands. These instructions outline biological and chemical control methods and record keeping for managing animal and vegetation pests on Corps federal administered lands within the District, as well as the record keeping required for APMP activities.

The requirements set forth in this document are in addition to all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations. The District is issuing these instructions to ensure that APMP actions activities comply with those additional requirements and ensure consistent record keeping and to allow accuracy in the required reporting by all users and in all areas of the District.

Aquatic pest management activities are ongoing and shall continue as long as there are pest problems on Corps federal administered lands within the District.

2. Purpose

The purpose of the APMP is to accomplish routine daily operation and maintenance (O&M) in areas within the District affected by aquatic vegetation pests. This is achieved by continuing to use an integrated pest management (IPM) approach, as part of the District’s overall Integrated Pest Management Program (IPMP). IPM is a holistic, multifaceted approach, which minimizes pesticide usage and resistance of invasive pests to pesticides through use of diversified control methods, and achieves effective management and eradication of targeted pests wherever practical and possible. These methods also encompass the use of natural pest predators or competitors through establishment of native plant species, or a “positive native seed bank.” The overall long-term goal is to reduce aquatic pest management treatments once control or eradication is achieved.

The APMP has two pest management components: routine control and maintenance, and early detection rapid response/eradication (EDRR). Control and maintenance is managing already established invasive pest species to control either spreading from their current location, or managing them within their location to meet mission goals.

EDRR primarily focuses on newly discovered or established pest species in order to take care of the incipient stage of those infestations before they become too large. Adopting the EDRR strategy allows for controlling new infestations that are small in size thus decreasing cost and the need for repeated applications. It is also advantageous because: 1) the precise location of individual target plants is subject to rapid and/or unpredictable change; and 2) presently known infestations may grow during the time it typically takes to complete the environmental compliance process.

EDRR is projected to primarily consist of active management of an infestation for two to three years, followed by monitoring of the site to ensure there is no new establishment or reestablishment of pest species. If EDRR is unsuccessful, then assessment of the invasive

- 6 -species will occur to move actions into the control and maintenance of pest species under IPM, based on mission and management goals.

3. “Additional Restrictions”

The requirements set forth in this document are in compliance with, and in many cases, are in addition to all other applicable laws, rules, and regulations, including in addition to, but not superseding or replacing label restrictions. It’s important for everyone involved in implementation of the APMP to understand that, as with the terrestrial portion of the District’s IPMP, implementation instructions issued by the District for the APMP help describe how to comply with these “additional restrictions” that have resulted from compliance with a variety of environmental laws and regulations.

In the case of both the terrestrial and aquatic (APMP) portions of the District’s IPMP, most of what could be interpreted by applicators as “additional restrictions” comes from the Endangered Species Act (ESA), and the District’s compliance with it. The District, as with all federal agencies, must consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) when authorizing, funding, or carrying out activities (“federal actions”) that “may affect” species listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA or designated critical habitat. The areas identified in the District where APMP activities may occur have a variety of ESA-listed species and critical habitats.

Section 7(a)(2) of the ESA outlines the process for consulting with NMFS and USFWS (the Services). While there are many intricacies that go into the consultation process itself, the basic requirements are that any federal agency must develop a biological assessment (BA) if listed species or critical habitat may be present in the area affected by a federal action. The BA describes the “proposed action,” (scope of work), and analyzes potential effects of the action (beneficial, neutral, or adverse). The federal agency, known as the “action agency” under the ESA, then makes an “effects determination” based on all of the information and analysis in the

BA.

The BA is then sent to NMFS and USFWS, where they use it to understand the action and the effects of the action. They also, through the consultation process, work together with the agency to iron out any gaps in their understanding. This often leads to discussions about incorporating scope changes that would help avoid adverse effects that could delay or stop the consultation process, which did happen for the APMP consultations with NMFS and USFWS.

The consultation ends with the Services either concurring with the determination of the agency, which was the case for the terrestrial portion of the IPMP, and issue letters to the agency concurring, or they issue a biological opinion (BO). A BO is a further analysis by the Service(s) to develop their opinion as to whether or not the effects of the agency’s action would “jeopardize the continued existence of the species or adversely modify or destroy critical habitat.” A BO is also issued with requirements (i.e. “additional restrictions”) that minimize the effects of the action. These are called “terms and conditions.” These must be adhered to by the agency, and by those operating under it, otherwise the compliance with the ESA may no longer be valid, and work could be shut down. Stopping work would be an extreme case, but it did happen in the

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District in 2009. The worst-case scenario for not complying could be civil and criminal penalties, which could apply down to the applicator in this case.

For the APMP, the BA determined that the action would have beneficial and adverse effects to ESA-listed species and critical habitats. The Services both found a need to issue BOs, both of which came with a variety of requirements (“additional restrictions”). These “additional restrictions” are included throughout the following sections in this document to ensure that these requirements are met and that all users of this document understand them.

4. Roles and Responsibilities

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District will:

• Issue implementation instructions.

• Provide implementation training, and provide continued customer service to ensure proper implementation.

• Perform quality control and data management on application records submitted by grantees and data submitted by contractors and Corps employees.

• Provide pest managers and applicators historic use data.

• Compile and maintained pest management anticipated use and actual application data

(reports) in the District’s existing geographic information system (GIS) database. This same database has been used for the terrestrial portion of the District’s IPMP since 2012.

• Compile anticipated use and annual use reports for reporting requirements under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

• Annual reports for grantees shall be generated by the Corps using data collected in the GIS database from actual use records.

• Provide anticipated and actual use record training materials to grantees, contractors, and Corps employees.

• Provide database training materials to pest managers and applicators.

Grantees, contractors, pest managers, and applicators will:

• Perform pest management activities in accordance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and these implementation instructions.

• Provide accurate anticipated use data.

• Provide accurate actual use data.

• Use sound IPM strategies.

5. Current Target Species

5.1. Vegetation

The Corps has a mission to manage natural resources and act as a steward of its lands and waters.

Vegetation control is part of the Corps’ natural resources management mission to “manage and conserve those natural resources, consistent with ecosystem management principles, while providing quality public outdoor recreation experiences to serve the needs of present and future

- 8 -generations.” The APMP is designed to control noxious weeds and to eradicate or limit the spread of invasive weeds in riparian and aquatic habitats within the District. Areas of Responsibility (AORs) where the majority of weed control treatments will occur include project operations areas, habitat management units, recreation areas, and outgrant areas1. The Corps, their contractors, and a limited number of grantees (entities that have received outgrants from the Corps to use government property by lease, easement, license, or permit) may treat pests.

Aquatic vegetation treatments shall include manual, mechanical, and chemical control methods to control or eradicate nuisance and noxious weeds

Treatments shall target all Class A, B, and C weeds for the State of Washington2, Idaho3, and Oregon4 listed weeds, as well as some nuisance native plants in areas identified by Corps biologists. The plants on all of these lists (current as of the date of this document) are listed in the following table (Table 1) for reference purposes.

The following table lists the most common vegetation targets in the District by common and scientific name. Scientific names are used to ensure that the same species is not duplicated because of varying common names used in various areas. This table should help with consistent record keeping and reporting throughout the District. “Other” can be used when treating a species not found on the states’ lists, but should not be used when the target is clearly identified.

Table 1. Plants targeted for control in riparian and aquatic habitats by the APMP and their designations on state noxious plant lists (A, most invasive and damaging; B, more naturalized and less damaging; C, established and less damaging).

Target Common Name Target Scientific Name WA List

OR

List

ID List

Eurasian Watermilfoil Myriophyllum spicatum B B B Curly-leaf Pondweed Potamogeton crispus C C False Indigo Amorpha fruticose B B Flowering Rush Butomus umbellatus A A C Hairy Willow-Herb Epilobium hirsutum B Japanese Knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum B B B Narrowleaf Cattail Typha angustifolia C Parrotfeather Myriophyllum aquaticum B B B Perennial Pepperweed Lepidium latifolium B B C Phragmites (common reed) Phragmites australis B B B Poison Hemlock Conium maculatum B B C Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria B B C Reed Canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea C Russian Olive Elaeagnus angustifolia C Saltcedar Tamarix ramosissima B B C Tree-of-Heaven Ailanthus altissima C B Yellow-flag Iris Iris pseudacorus C B C Algae Various species

1 Management around private docks is not permitted.

2 http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/siteFiles/2012%20State%20Weed%20List_Scientific_Name.pdf 3 http://www.agri.state.id.us/Categories/PlantsInsects/NoxiousWeeds/watchlist.php 4 http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/pages/statelist2.aspx http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/siteFiles/2012%20State%20Weed%20List_Scientific_Name.pdf http://www.agri.state.id.us/Categories/PlantsInsects/NoxiousWeeds/watchlist.php http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/WEEDS/pages/statelist2.aspx

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5.2. Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR)

It is reasonable to assume not all invasive plants sites have been located and that new sites will emerge throughout Corps lands in the District. New detections in all areas of the District shall be subject to the EDRR process described in this section. The EDRR treatments shall be conducted under the same guidance and criteria established for the District. Newly discovered infestations or sites shall receive a high priority for treatment to eradicate the invasive plants while the infestation is small and easily treatable. No aerial treatment is authorized under EDRR.

In the context of biological invasion, early detection and rapid response (EDRR) is a series of sustained and coordinated actions to eradicate an invasive species population before it establishes and spreads so widely that eradication (i.e. the elimination of the population) is no longer feasible. More specifically, early detection is a process for surveying for, reporting, and verifying the presence of a non-native species before the founding population becomes established or spreads. Rapid response is a process to eradicate the founding population of a non-native species from a specific location.

Invasive species infestations often cross jurisdictional boundaries. Therefore, coordination among neighboring jurisdictions is essential for EDRR to be successful. Anyone finding something should report it to:

USACE- Walla Walla District Pest Manager, 509-527-7136 NWW.DistrictPestManager@usace.army.mil

The following is the decision process used in the District for EDRR herbicide use. It’s adapted from the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) (2010) EDRR and will be implemented in order to have some adaptive management capability within any given treatment season:

1. EDRR Aquatic Herbicide Use Decision Process

• Yes (use herbicides): List approved herbicide choices available and integrated prescription. Review label directions and project design criteria. Consider non-target vegetation surrounding treatment sites and use selective herbicides as appropriate. Consider soil conditions at the treatment site. Consider previous treatments that have occurred on the site. Were they effective? Would another herbicide or combination of methods be more effective? Go to 2.

• No: Use non-herbicide methods.

2. Do the size, density, and/or distribution of invasive plants warrant the broadcast application method?

• Yes: Is the treatment site within the riparian zone and/or on a road that has high potential to deliver herbicide to surface waters? Is the site in an area that has specific restrictions to broadcasting? Go to 3.

• No: Use spot and/or selective methods.

3. Will spot and/or selective methods be reasonably effective in this situation?

mailto:NWW.DistrictPestManager@usace.army.mil

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• Yes: Apply spot/selective buffers and use aquatic labeled herbicides.

• No: Seek approval for treatment through additional decision process

(NEPA/section 7 processes).

6. Application Windows

6.1. All District Areas Except Mill Creek

The following application windows apply everywhere in the District where APMP activities are authorized, except for Mill Creek. Mill Creek’s specific windows are listed in the next section.

Chemical and Mechanical aquatic vegetation control shall only occur from July 1 through September 15. Manual treatments or physical removal using hand tools may occur year-round.

6.2. Mill Creek

Because of requirements in the USFWS BO, APMP activities (chemical, mechanical, and manual) at Mill Creek are only allowed from July 1 through August 15. There are also specific terms and conditions required prior to APMP activities at Mill Creek:

• There is required check in 7 days prior to work. This means that a Corps fish biologist and USFWS fish biologists from the USFWS’ Eastern Washington Field Office must confirm that program activities are implemented during conditions where bull trout are unlikely to occur in the area.

• These conditions are: (document in comment section of PDF application form) o Water temperatures below 18 Celsius o Flows (see below) o Weather (see below) o Bull trout detection and distribution information

If stream temperatures are below 18 degrees C (64.4 F) or if a significant rain event (>0.5 inches) is anticipated with two days of treatment, hold off on treatment until any increased flows have subsided and stream temperatures are above 18 degrees C (fish will have moved out of the area). Document this information in the comment section of the PDF application form.

6.3. Rationale for Timing Restrictions

NMFS provided information in their BO to describe the rationale behind the timing restrictions:

“Exposure of listed salmonids to herbicide treatments in the proposed action will only occur between July 1 and September 15. This timing of application avoids eggs, larval fish, and spawning adults, and therefore effects to these life stages will be minimal. By

- 11 -late spring, most subyearlings and older juveniles tend to move away from warming shallows to rear in relatively deep and flowing water. For this reason, they will have limited risk of exposure and potential toxicity effects to these fish will be unlikely due to dilution effects in the deeper water. Migrating juveniles and adults likely use main channels and adjacent peripheral habitats, and are expected to remain in deeper water and not be exposed to herbicide toxicity. Some juvenile salmonids and adults may hold under overhanging riparian vegetation, undercut banks, and shoreline cover in close proximity to potential treatment areas, but are usually in water deeper than a foot or two, and will not be exposed to herbicide toxicity. In relatively rare instances when fish may be present in very shallow water or hiding in weeds being treated, they will likely detect presence of operator disturbance and traces of herbicide in water and move away from the surface and general vicinity of treatments, resulting in only limited exposure to low levels of herbicide.”

USFWS provided additional information in their BO to describe the rationale behind further restricting the window at Mill Creek:

“Mill Creek headwaters and tributaries support spawning and rearing habitat for all life history forms, and year-round habitat for resident bull trout. This is a major local population spawning area. Between the Corps Diversion Dam and the headwaters, Mill Creek supports subadult rearing, migration, adult staging, and overwintering. The lower reaches of Mill Creek, and Yellowhawk Creek support potential adult migration and overwintering, and subadult migration.”

“During program implementation, certain activities are reasonably certain to expose listed bull trout to small-scale and temporary disturbances, increased turbidity, elevated concentrations of herbicides, and temporary reductions in cover and forage. As previously described, adult and sub-adult bull trout occur year round in low to medium densities in mainstem river portions of the action area. Higher numbers of adult and subadult bull trout use the Mill Creek action area for foraging, migration, and overwintering and may occur in portions of the action area year-round.”

“In the Mill Creek Project area during manual and mechanical operations, bull trout are anticipated to be present year round above Bennington Diversion Dam, and are likely present below Bennington Diversion Dam most of the year, though their presence is less likely in August and September, depending on flows and weather. Therefore, bull trout are likely to be exposed to manual and mechanical control methods during the work window of July 1st to August 15th. This exposure is expected to temporarily reduce feeding efforts and force fish to seek other available nearby cover that may temporarily increase risk of predation. Moreover, placement and removal of substrate screens, pulling rakes and blades through the water column, and digging with hand tools will generate limited turbidity and temporarily disturb or displace bull trout in Mill Creek. Bull trout are especially likely to be disturbed by these activities in Mill Creek if they occur in areas where bull trout are isolated during low flows and cannot escape. This form of disturbance is expected to be of short duration, however bull trout that are unable to leave the area due to pooled water and low flows will have significantly disrupted normal behavior patterns, including feeding or sheltering”

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“Adverse effects of herbicide use, mechanical, and manual treatment of invasive weeds in the Mill Creek action area are more likely, due to higher densities of bull trout, and the inability of bull trout to move away from the turbidity or chemicals during some flows and scenarios, even within the work window. Disturbance, injury, or impaired feeding may occur in the Mill Creek action area for the following reasons:

1.Bull trout may occur in the Mill Creek action area year-round, especially above the Bennington Diversion Dam. Below the dam subadult and adult bull trout migrate through the action area most months, though they are less likely to be present in August and the first half of September. During low flows, bull trout may become isolated in pools and be exposed to turbidity, herbicides, or technician activities associated with the Program and be unable to move away, especially during July, depending on the flows through the action area.

2. Herbicides selected for use are considered to be only slightly toxic to fish and forage species and worst-case and conservative toxicity limits were used to verify exposure will be minor and not likely to harm bull trout. Bull trout may be exposed to herbicides within the work window in Mill Creek, although the effects will be short-term and will not be adverse.

3. Sediment and turbidity effects will likely be short tenn, however bull trout in isolated pools in Mill Creek may not be able to escape, and may be injured by the sediment, or feeding may be impaired for the several hour duration until the turbidity settles.

4. Vegetation removal may decrease forage in a small area, and if bull trout cannot escape the area feeding may be impaired. The habitat impact will be sho'rt-tenn, and vegetation will fill-in by the next summer.

5. Disturbance of bull trout isolated in small areas may occur from Program activities.”

“In Mill Creek disturbance effects from chemical applications will be temporary and occur in small areas, however bull trout are expected to be exposed to this disturbance in areas under conditions where they cannot move away, such as in low flow periods if bull trout are in pools between weirs in Mill Creek. The work window of July 1st through August 15th will not avoid exposure to bull trout.”

7. Chemical Application Methods

There are three general methods for chemical application under the APMP. Each general method is further described in the following sections. These general methods are:

• Hand/select

• Spot

• Broadcast

7.1. Hand/Select

Any of the following hand/select methods maybe employed:

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• Wicking and wiping

• Basal bark

• Frill or hack and squirt

• Stem injection

• Cut-stump

7.2. Spot

Chemical applications are made by either ground-based sprayers (mounted to small all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), vessel (boat), fullsize vehicle (trucks or tractors)), or with backpack sprayers.

These applicators range from motorized vehicles with spray hoses, to backpack sprayers, to hand-pumped spray or squirt bottles. Hand-pumped spray and squirt bottles can target very small plants or parts of plants.

7.3. Broadcast

A boom (a long horizontal tube with multiple spray heads) is mounted or attached to a vessel, tractor, ATV, or other vehicle. Nozzles control the droplet size and the area being covered.

Boomless nozzles and backpack sprayers may also be used as a broadcast tool.

8. Herbicides & Chemicals Controls

Chemical applications can take place from July 1 through September 15, except for Mill Creek Project area. Applications at Mill Creek are allowed from July 1 through August 15.

The following table (Table 2) lists the active ingredients allowed for use in the District5 and identifies some example trade (label) names. These products, and others with similar ingredients, resources are examples of what may be used for treatments. This list should, in no way, be considered to be exhaustive or restrictive for labels. Rather, the active ingredient is what is most important.

Table 2. Active ingredients allowed for use in the District, with some example trade names.

Chemical Example Trade Names

2,4-D (amine only) AquaKleen Navigate

Imazapyr Habitat

Sodium Carbonate Peroxyhydrate GreenClean EcoBlast

Modified Vegetable Oil (surfactant/adjuvant) Competitor

5 Another form of vegetation control that does not necessarily fit into any of the other categories will be environmentally friendly products such as ordinary vinegar.

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Through ESA consultation, the Corps has identified specific controls for some of the active ingredients:

• Aquatic registered labeled products only.

• The adjuvant competitor is currently the only surfactant allowed for use in the District and only with imazapyr.

• Only aquatic labeled herbicides and surfactants shall be used.

• The surfactant/adjuvant (modified vegetable oil) can only be used with Imazapyr

• Only amine formulas of 2,4-D can be used.

• For emergent aquatic vegetation:

o Applications shall utilize nozzles and pressures that produce droplets in the 177 to 428 micron range (medium, coarse, very coarse) to reduce the possibility of drift.

o Nozzles and pressures, which create droplet sizes of 176 microns or less, shall not be used.

o Droplet sizes of 429 microns or larger (extremely coarse and ultra coarse) are acceptable and encouraged, provided that the volume of the spray solution is not so great as to cause excessive runoff, the labels typical state to thoroughly wet all foliage or thoroughly wetting all foliage and stems.

• For submerged aquatic vegetation: Use the label recommended methods for application.

Table 3 provides the maximum annual acreages allowed per herbicide and chemical control methods and per chemical/active ingredient. The annual acreage information will be tracked by the anticipated and actual usage required reporting (PDF) data submitted by applicators, lessees, contractors, and all that perform applications.

Table 3. Maximum annual chemical, mechanical, and manual treatments allowed in the

APMP.

Treatment Application Rate (pint/acre) Area (acres)

Annual Application

(lbs a.i.)* 2,4-D (amine only) 2 78 75 Imazapyr 6 200 300 Competitor (surfactant) 2 ** 200 Sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate 94 10 0.03

TOTAL CHEMICAL 288 575

Mowing, burning (riparian only) 20 Chopping (aquatic only) 5 Substrate screen (aquatic only) 40 Rakes, blades (simple, hand or boat-pulled); digging and pulling (with hand tools)

*Total application is measured in pounds (lbs) of active ingredient (a.i.).

**Adjuvant may be mixed with imazapyr (200 ac), but will not be mixed with 2,4-D or used alone.

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9. Manual Controls

Manual methods can take place year-round, except for Mill Creek Project area. Applications at Mill Creek are allowed from July 1 through August 15.

Manual controls include:

• Physical removal by hand pulling

• Manual digging with hand tools

• Non-mechanical cutting and raking

• Laying semi-permanent material/barrier (substrate screen)

• Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH)

• Prescribed Fire (riparian areas only)

Table 4 provides the maximum annual acreages allowed per manual control methods. The annual acreage information will be tracked by the anticipated and actual usage required reporting (PDF) data submitted by applicators, lessees, contractors, and all that perform applications.

Table 4. Maximum manual treatments allowed in the APMP.

Treatment Area (acres)

Mowing & Burning (riparian only) 20 Substrate screen (aquatic only) 40 Rakes, blades (simple, hand or boat-pulled);

digging and pulling (with hand tools), 100 Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) No limit

Manual treatments or physical removal using hand tools may occur year-round for any of the plants listed in Table 1. Physical removal is effective for small quantities of plants near shorelines. Techniques include manual digging with hand tools or pulling entire plants by hand.

These are particularly important in eradication efforts for small quantities and under EDRR.

Entire plants (leaves, stems, and roots) will be removed from the area of concern and disposed of away from water. In water less than 3 feet deep, specialized equipment is required, although a spade, trowel, or long knife may be needed if the sediment is packed or heavy. In deeper water, hand pulling is best accomplished by divers. The divers use mesh bags for the collection of plant fragments. In special cases (e.g. flowering rush) divers or technicians may use suction pumps to lift plant material to the surface for proper disposal away from water to prevent viable plant fragments from spreading.

Cutting and raking differ from hand pulling in that plant roots are not usually removed. Cutting is performed by standing on a dock or on shore and throwing a cutting tool into the water.

Non-mechanical aquatic weed cutters and rakes may be used. Cut plants rise to the surface where they can be removed. Heavy hand-rakes and specially designed aquatic plant rakes are an

- 16 -effective way of removing aquatic plants. Attaching a rope and floats to rakes allows removal of a greater area of vegetation and easier plant and fragment collection. Raking often tears plants from sediments, breaking some plants off and removing some roots as well.

Cutting may also include removal of roots obstructing levee toe drains. This will be accomplished using pipe-clearing cutters employed by contractors specialized in clearing tree roots and other obstructions from sewer lines.

Another manual control method to be used includes laying semi-permanent materials over the top of aquatic vegetation beds analogous to using landscape fabric to suppress the growth of weeds in yards. A substrate screen or benthic barrier covers the sediment like a blanket, compressing aquatic plants while reducing, or blocking light. Materials such as burlap, plastics, perforated black Mylar, and woven synthetics can all be used as substrate screens. Screen material will be durable, heavier than water, reduce or block light, prevent plants from growing into and under the fabric, be easy to install and maintain, and should readily allow gases produced by rotting weeds to escape. Substrate screens will be securely anchored to prevent navigation and swimming hazards. Anchors will consist of natural materials such as rocks or sandbags, must be effective in keeping the material down, and will be regularly checked. The duration of weed control depends on the rate that weeds can grow through or on top of the screen, the rate that new sediment is deposited on the screen, and the durability and longevity of the material. Regular maintenance is essential and can extend the life of most substrate screens.

Installation is easier in spring before plants mature. In summer, cutting or hand pulling the plants first will help facilitate screen installation.

Through ESA consultation, the Corps has identified specific controls for some of the active manual controls:

• Substrate screens and associated materials will be removed outside of target plant growing seasons each year, except screens covering small patches of flowering rush and screens controlling weeds in boat lanes and marinas may remain deployed for longer periods if properly maintained.

• The water’s edge along banks and shorelines will not be covered with substrate screens.

• The maximum coverage of a screen will be 1/8 acre in a block shape or ½ acre in a strip

(e.g., a boat lane 8 feet wide by 0.5-mile long).

• The density of deployed substrate screens will not exceed 2.5% of any square quarter mile, and other protective measures listed below in the Best Management Practices (BMPs) may apply.

• Individual treatments will be reported by location, need, area, and duration for monitoring purposes (through pdf actual submitted documents).

Mowing and prescribed fire are used in riparian areas only, and not in the water. Prescribed fire and mowing can remove excess vegetation to aid chemical treatment, kill living rhizomes, and promote native plant growth.

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10. Mechanical Controls

Mechanical treatments can take place from July 1 through September 15, except for Mill Creek Project area. Applications at Mill Creek are allowed from July 1 through August 15.

Mechanical controls include:

• Mechanical Flail Chopper6 o Not Permitted at Mill Creek Project Area

• Chopping

Table 5 provides the maximum annual acreages allowed mechanically. The annual acreage information will be tracked by the anticipated and actual usage required reporting (PDF) data submitted by applicators, lessees, contractors, and all that perform applications.

Table 5. Maximum annual mechanical treatments allowed in the APMP.

Treatment Area (acres) Mowing & Burning (riparian only) 20 Chopping (aquatic only) 5

Mechanical methods may be used to control vegetation (Table 1) in deeper water or in riparian areas near water within the same treatment windows as chemical methods.

A flail chopper is a mechanical implement attached to a boat, which includes a number of knife blades that rotate rapidly inside a hood. Flail choppers may be used to remove the top few feet of submersed aquatic vegetation without disturbing sediment when clearing boat lanes to ramps and marinas.

11. Biological Controls

No Biological controls are allowed under the APMP at this time.

12. Treatment Area Limits

Through consultation, there currently are areal limits and intensity of control parameters. These areal limits apply to all methods of aquatic pest management in Walla Walla District.

• Chemical treatments will be limited to hand-held, low-pressure applicators, from tanks typically transported by boat, vehicle, or backpack.

6 Mechanical flail chopper is not allowed at Mill Creek.

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• Treatments will not be contiguous or adjacent to other treatments. The cumulative area of these spot treatments and their patterns of application will be used to measure and limit impact (Table 3).

• No more than 500 lineal feet per mile of shoreline will be chemically, manually, or mechanical treated in any year.

For all treatments, refer to the facilities listed in Table 6 (below) for acreage limits. These apply to areas listed in Appendix A (BA Tables 3 through 5), spot and patch treatments may be expanded into blocks because of safety, operational, or access needs may require increased control. For this APMP the spot, patch, and block treatments need to be tracked precisely, to not exceed the limited acreage allowed per site and the limit of 500 linear feet per mile of shoreline.

Table 6. Maximum area, intensity, and pattern of chemical applications per treatment facility or situation.

Situation Area (acres) Shape Need and Control Intensity Rivers Edge 0.25 Thread/spots Noncontiguous, patches Civil Works

Boat Ramp 0.25 Block Sparse, safety, access Swim Beach 0.25 Block Contiguous, sparse, safety Marina 0.25 Block Sparse, safety, access COE Dock 0.1 Block Sparse, safety, access Pump/Screen 0.1 Block Sparse, operations

Facility 0.5 Thread/Spots Sparse, safety, operations HMUs/Rec 2 Thread/Spots Sparse, safety, operations Rovers 4 Blocks/Thread/Spots Non-contiguous

Chemical retreatments may occur after a period of at least 14 days, if needed to meet performance requirements in Corps contracts pertaining to vegetation management.

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Table 7: Summary

TREATMENT

CONTROL

TREATMENT

CONTROL

TOOL

TREATMENT

WINDOW

Acrea ge

Limit

ACTIVE INGREDIENT (a.i.) IN

RELATION TO TREATMENT

TOOLS

2,4 -D am ine

Ima zapy r

Sodiu m

Carbon ate

Peroxy hydrat e

Modified Vegetable Oil

(surfactant/adju vant)

Chemical

Hand select

July 1 through September 15

X X X X Wicking and wiping X X X X

Basal bark X X X X Frill or hack and squirt X X X X

Stem injection X X X X Cut Stump X X X X Spot (hand-held, low-pressure applicators)

X X X X

Broadcast (hand-held, low-pressure applicators)

X X X X

Adjuvant:

Competitor

Ca n’t mi x

X (up to ac)

Can’t mix Can’t mix

Rate (pt/ac) 2 6 2 94 Max Acres per a.i. 78 200 10 NO LIMIT

Manual

Physical removal by hand pulling

Year-Round

Manual digging with hand tools

Non-mechanical cutting and raking

Laying semi-permanent material/barrier

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Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting

NO

LIMI

T

Mechanical

Mechanical flail chopper July 1 through

September 15

Mowing 20 Prescribed fire

13. Rover Treatments

The Corps also has the option of five rover treatments per year (Table 3) to gain control of large areas of invasive species and some invasive pest outbreaks in unexpected or new locations, in accordance with the EDRR described in the above7. Rover treatments would be limited to five treatments across the entire Walla Walla District per year. The size for each rover treatment would not exceed 2,400 feet in length or 4 acres. These treatments will not be adjacent to each other and will only be used in the main stem of the Snake and Columbia Rivers (not permitted at Mill Creek).

Rover treatments will be a primary tool to regain control of large infestations of aquatic vegetation at areas such as marinas, recreational beaches, and habitat management units (HMUs). Rover treatments will be allocated by, and cannot occur without written approval by, the Walla Walla District Pest Manager. The allocations will be based on the District’s prioritized needs to meet mission and management goals.

Those interested in using a rover treatment must submit an official written request to the District Pest Manager no later than February 15 each year for potential treatment in the same year’s treatment window. This is the same date that anticipated application reports are due to the District.

14. Best Management Practices

The following best management practices (BMPs) shall be implemented and adhered to in addition to label or other state or federal requirements:

Administrative Practices:

1. All applicators shall be state licensed or certified for aquatic pest control applications.

2. All applications shall be recorded on Corps Pest Control Application Record in accordance with the instructions in this document. Annual reports for grantees shall be generated by the Corps using data collected in the GIS database from actual use records.

Treatment Planning and Prohibitions:

7 Rover treatments are not allowed at Mill Creek.

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3. Applications shall not be made 24 hours prior to, a predicted precipitation event sufficient to cause runoff (using NOAA’s National Weather Service8 to determine probability of a major precipitation event).

4. Herbicide treatments to foliage of weed species shall be according to the chemical manufacturer’s recommendations for best results, unless this document identifies more stringent requirements that must be followed. Applicators shall use caution to minimize the application of herbicides to non-target species and structures within the application areas.

5. Aerial applications are not allowed or permitted.

6. Only aquatic labeled herbicides and surfactants shall be used.

7. The only approved surfactant/adjuvant is aquatic registered and labeled modified vegetable.

8. Surfactant/adjuvant can only be used with imazapyr.

9. Only amine formulas of 2,4-D shall be used (no use of 2,4-D ester formulations shall be used).

10. Motorized herbicide application equipment shall not be operated on slopes greater than

25 percent (if not on existing roads) in order to minimize risk of soil erosion, spills, or chemical runoff, as well as for safety reasons.

11. Applicators shall not spray if snow or ice covers the target foliage.

12. Nozzles and pressures which create droplet sizes of 176 microns or less shall not be used.

13. Chemical methods will not be used to control offshore, submersed aquatic vegetation outside those situations listed in Table 3.

14. The function of riparian or aquatic habitats will not be substantially changed by treatments, and replacement or regrowth of proximate native or non-target vegetation is expected.

15. Refueling of equipment in areas not designed for refueling (i.e. in HMUs) shall not occur within 100 feet of open water. This includes ATVs, trucks, tractors, etc.

16. Substrate screens and associated materials will be removed outside of target plant growing seasons each year, except screens covering small patches of flowering rush and screens controlling weeds in boat lanes and marinas may remain deployed for longer periods if properly maintained

17. The water’s edge along banks and shorelines will not be covered with substrate screens.

18. The maximum coverage of a screen will be 1/8 acre in a block shape or ½ acre in a strip

(e.g., a boat lane 8 feet wide by 0.5-mile long).

19. The density of deployed substrate screens will not exceed 2.5% of any square quarter mile.

20. Individual treatments will be reported by location, need, area, and duration for monitoring purposes (through pdf actual submitted documents).

Calibration and Inspection Practices:

21. All application equipment (e.g. booms, back packs, etc.) shall be properly calibrated according to the chemical manufacturer’s suggested application rates printed on the chemical label prior to use.

22. Appropriate sized nozzles shall be used to maximize droplet size and reduce the potential for drift.

8 http://www.weather.gov is suggested, but other similar sources may be used.

http://www.weather.gov/

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23. Equipment and settings shall be properly maintained for the duration of the application period.

24. Application equipment shall be maintained to ensure proper application rates, to minimize leakage potential, reduce the potential for drift, and ensure applicator safety.

25. Equipment shall be maintained, and visually inspected prior to each application includes, but is not limited to: hoses, nozzles, backpacks, and booms.

26. Equipment shall be inspected and cleaned prior to any application of herbicides within 150 feet of open water or crossing any stream. Any detected leaks shall be repaired before the equipment crosses the stream or near open water when not on an existing road.

Spill Prevention Practices:

27. All applicators shall comply with all applicable federal, state (OR, ID, and WA) and herbicide manufacturer’s directions and requirements for handling herbicides and insecticides, including storage, transportation, application, container disposal, and cleanup of spills.

28. All applicators shall develop and carry a Spill Prevention and Control Plan, or detailed requirements shall be explicitly spelled out in contract specifications by the Corps prior to contractor personnel or equipment operation near any stream drainage or body of water. The Plan shall provide detailed descriptions for spill prevention, control, containment, clean up, and reporting procedures.

29. A spill kit shall be available to all persons making applications within 150 feet from the site of the application.

30. Each Contractor vehicle carrying herbicides shall be equipped with a spill cleanup kit.

The cleanup kit shall be capable of containing and holding at…