Completion Form

2019

STATELINE SECTION

The Canyon Country Youth Corps (CCYC) completed 4.4 acres of new tamarisk removal within the historic riverbed at the berm site in November 2018 by vehicle.  All tamarisk and Russian olive, within this contiguous patch, were removed using chainsaws and a cut-stump herbicide application of Tahoe 3A. Herbicide was applied in a very targeted manner to the cambium within 15 minutes of cutting. Biomass was piled within and adjacent to the abandoned channel.

The Grand County Weed Department treated 21.4 acres of knapweed in the abandoned agricultural field downstream from the berm site. Milestone was applied on 9/15/2018 using a helicopter platform.

The Moab BLM successfully removed a portion of the historic berm in February 2019 allowing the river to flow within its historic path for the first time in decades. The cobble was removed using a backhoe and belly-dump truck. Material was piled in the historic floodplain and will be utilized for restoration projects along the Dolores in Colorado.

RAFT SECTION

The Canyon Country Youth Corps completed 3.1 acres of new tamarisk removal in the confined canyon-bound section by raft. Tamarisk and Russian olive were removed from around native trees and shrubs using chainsaws and a cut-stump herbicide application of Tahoe 3A. Herbicide was applied in a very targeted manner to the cambium within 15 minutes of cutting. Biomass was piled within natural openings and cleared areas.
 
RIO MESA SECTION

The Western Colorado Conservation Corps Strike Team completed 3.8 acres of Tamarisk and Russian olive removal at the Granite Creek confluence by vehicle.  All tamarisk and Russian olive, within this contiguous patch dominated by native woody species, were removed using chainsaws and a cut-stump herbicide application of Tahoe 3A. Herbicide was applied in a very targeted manner to the cambium within 15 minutes of cutting. Biomass was handled using a lop and scatter methodology.

ROBERTS BOTTOM SECTION

The Canyon Country Youth Corps completed 3.3 acres of new tamarisk removal in Robert's Bottom vicinity by vehicle. Tamarisk and Russian olive were removed from around native trees and shrubs using chainsaws and a cut-stump herbicide application of Tahoe 3A. Herbicide was applied in a very targeted manner to the cambium within 15 minutes of cutting.  Biomass was piled within natural openings and cleared areas.

The Grand County Weed Department treated 6.62 acres of knapweed treatment along the road leading upstream from Lake Bottom into the Dolores Triangle using a truck and hose reel system on 8/15/2018.  Roadsides and abandoned terraces were treated using Milestone.  2.8 acres of Kochia was treated at Robert's Bottom on 6/26/2019 using Diuron +2,4D.

The project was completed through collaboration between the BLM Canyon Country District Aquatic Habitats program, the Dolores River Restoration Partnership, RiversEdgeWest, the Canyon Country Youth Corps (CCYC), Southwest Conservation Corps, the Grand County Weed Department, Rio Mesa Center, Western Biology LLC, and UDWR/WRI.  The project focused on treating Russian olive, tamarisk, Russian knapweed, and kochia and completed 46.7 acres accessed by either vehicle or raft. The collaboration made significant progress towards causing mortality of woody and herbaceous weedy species and increased resilience of native species within important side channel, confluence, and riparian habitat.
   
STATELINE SECTION

The Moab BLM successfully removed a portion of the historic berm in February 2019, allowing the river to flow within its historic path for the first time in decades.  2019 high water flows were enough to inundate the site for several months.  There was outflow on the downstream end and residual pools remained as water levels dropped. The reconnected hydrology resulted in cottonwood seedling germination, establishment of rushes/sedges and the presence of black bear, mountain lion, beaver, waterfowl, woodhouse toad, red-spotted toad, garter snakes, and catfish as determined by visual confirmation.  Environmental DNA samples were taken and will be compared to 3-species DNA to assess the presence of Flannelmouth Sucker, Bluehead Sucker, and/or Roundtail chub.

The CCYC removed the last large patch of Russian olive and tamarisk within the historic river channel prior to the removal of the berm.  The goal was to minimize surface roughness and impediments to water flow so that once reconnected, fluvial processes would be better able to restore the side channel/off channel habitat and clean fine material from cobble substrates.  It will take several years for this system to reach an equilibrium at which time the need for further work will be assessed.

The Grand County weeds department used internal funding to complete the Russian knapweed treatment on the abandoned agriculture field. That funding is not shown in the finance tab, but was an important piece in maintaining the investment we have in this site by reducing Russian knapweed density and keeping it from spreading downstream.

RAFT SECTION

The raft-based logistics are inherently challenging, requiring adequate flows to access the sites. Adequate flows occur during spring high water, and depend on releases from McPhee Reservoir and annual environmental conditions. This short window coincides with endangered Southwestern Willow Flycatcher and Cuckoo breeding and nesting season. Surveys for these birds are required and must immediately precede the chainsaw work.  Flows during the trip ranged from 1800-2900 cfs.  Rafts launched below Beaver Creek rapid to avoid all rapids and minimize risk.  Work was delayed a day due to impassable roads following intense rains.

These units are characterized by significant amounts of native woody vegetation, some of which occur in and around ephemeral tributaries that create important confluence habitats in this confined canyon section. The crews prioritized the removal of woody invasives surrounding native plants and retreating resprouts from previous treatments.  Adam Petry (Western Biology LLC) floated ahead of the youth corps to survey for birds. Notably, two SWFL were identified, but did not substantially impact treatment areas. An "After Action Review" was conducted and helped refine and optimize (i.e. # of crew, # of rafts, logistics, etc) our approach to raft-based work; the results of which will be implemented in Dolores 3.0.

RIO MESA SECTION

The Southwest Conservation Corps Strike Team accessed the Granite Creek Confluence Site by vehicle.  They focused on removing all tamarisk and Russian olive that was intermixed with the native woody vegetation.  This is an important confluence habitat, which creates connectivity to the upper reaches of Granite Creek.  Most of the woody invasives have been removed from the confluence proper.  Additional work is needed upstream from the confluence, in the Dolores floodplain, to promote the establishment of native species.

ROBERT'S BOTTOM SECTION

The CCYC initiated new woody invasive removal underneath a large cottonwood gallery on river left just upstream of from Robert's Bottom.  This, cottonwood gallery, in combination with Robert's and Lake Bottom are considered critical habitat for Yellow-Billed Cuckoo and may be important for SWFL. This is a large polygon and there is a lot of work left to do to remove ladder fuels and mitigate the risk of stand replacement fire here.  Work will continue to focus on removing tamarisk from underneath the cottonwood dripline while creating a safe buffer around the stand. CCYC also completed more removal near the pond at Lake Bottom building off previous years work.  Grand County Weed Department continued eradication of Russian knapweed along the road leading upstream from Lake Bottom. We are starting to get a handle on knapweed in this area. Kochia was also treated at Robert's Bottom to clear the way for future cottonwood plantings.

Plans to collect native seed from grasses and forbs already growing at Robert's Bottom was not completed due to the poor seed crop resulting from drought conditions in 2018. It was discovered that BLM had previously completed hydrologic monitoring at Robert's Bottom and new monitoring wells were unnecessary.

Gabriel Bissonette

09/10/2019 16:28:06