Twin Valley Weed Management Area
Eastern Republican & Little Blue Riparian Improvement Project (18/19-01)
Total Dollars Requested: $100,000.00
Total Dollars Funded: $90,000.00
The highly successful Eastern Republican & Little Blue Riparian Improvement Project continues ongoing efforts to eradicate invasive species, control vegetation in stream channels, and improve riparian habitat along the Republican & Little Blue Rivers and their tributaries within six of the Twin Valley Weed Management Area (TVWMA) counties. Control efforts are conducted in a holistic manner, utilizing a full range of mechanical, biological and chemical tools. TVWMA has undertaken this project over recent years to improve stream flow along the Republican & Little Blue Rivers to help enable Nebraska to meet its water delivery obligations to Kansas, to restore and maintain into the future a healthy river system and prevent wasteful degradation of water resources, to improve riparian habitat including re-planting beneficial species, as well as including pollinators, and to increase public awareness of the best practices that can be used to properly manage riparian lands.
Nebraska Weed Management Area Coalition
Rapid Response to Early Detection of Invasive Plant Species and Education Outreach (18/19-02)
Total Dollars Requested: $476,967.00
Total Dollars Funded: $303,400.50
The Nebraska Weed Management Area Coalition (NEWMAC) is made up of 10 Weed Management Areas (WMA’s) throughout Nebraska that bring together landowners, agencies and organizations in a geographical area to coordinate efforts and expertise against newly recognized non-native invasive weed species. Due to successful statewide noxious weed control projects, weed superintendents have seen an overall decline in the number of infested acres, from 1.5 million acres in 2005 to 895,000 acres in 2017. This decline has been seen even with the addition of five new species to the State noxious weed list. NEWMAC recognizes the need to ensure these noxious species continue to be treated. However, we also recognize the need for continued surveying and control of new invasive species that have the potential to become widespread problems. NEWMAC is requesting funding to 1) treat invasive species that were documented in 2017 by surveys and monitoring; 2) continue supporting the Weed Watch publication and create new invasive species brochures; 3) implement biocontrol along the Niobrara River in Rock and Keya Paha counties for leafy spurge and purple loosestrife; and insects in Dawes, Sheridan, and Sioux counties for common mullein; and 4) survey for plants designated by the Nebraska Invasive Species Council as Watch List species. All of these objectives assist in enhancing Nebraska’s native biodiversity and natural beauty.
The Nebraska Weed Management Area Coalition (NEWMAC) is made up of 10 Weed Management Areas (WMA’s) throughout Nebraska that bring together landowners, agencies and organizations in a geographical area to coordinate efforts and expertise against newly recognized non-native invasive weed species. Due to successful statewide noxious weed control projects, weed superintendents have seen an overall decline in the number of infested acres, from 1.5 million acres in 2005 to 895,000 acres in 2017. This decline has been seen even with the addition of five new species to the State noxious weed list. NEWMAC recognizes the need to ensure these noxious species continue to be treated. However, we also recognize the need for continued surveying and control of new invasive species that have the potential to become widespread problems. NEWMAC is requesting funding to 1) treat invasive species that were documented in 2017 by surveys and monitoring; 2) continue supporting the Weed Watch publication and create new invasive species brochures; 3) implement biocontrol along the Niobrara River in Rock and Keya Paha counties for leafy spurge and purple loosestrife; and insects in Dawes, Sheridan, and Sioux counties for common mullein; and 4) survey for plants designated by the Nebraska Invasive Species Council as Watch List species. All of these objectives assist in enhancing Nebraska’s native biodiversity and natural beauty. Control and survey work will be implemented in the Niobrara, North Loup, Middle Loup, South Loup, and Platte River basins. The Weed Watch publication is distributed in 7 of Nebraska’s WMA’s and the Watch List brochures will benefit WMA’s and County Weed Superintendents statewide.
Lower Platte Weed Management Area
LPWMA Aerial and Ground Follow Up Watershed Protection Plan (18/19-03)
Total Dollars Requested: $69,555.00
Total Dollars Funded: $69,555.00
The Lower Platte Weed Management Area (LPWMA) controlled over seven hundred fifty acres of Noxious and invasive plants within the project area in the fall of 2017 through aerial application. The LPWMA will conduct July follow up surveys using programming dollars from Natural Resource Districts to map new infestations and follow up aerial applications.
The LPWMA is requesting funding to complete aerial application on Lancaster County tributaries, the Salt Creek and Oak Creek, in 2018. The LPWMA will utilize a special use "congested area" permit to conduct aerial application in and around the city Lincoln, NE. This application will control acres of phragmites on these tributaries that went untreated in 2017. These areas are still relatively small in size; the aerial application will be an effective tool this season and these acres will be cost-shared with Lancaster County landowners on these tributaries.
The LPWMA conducts its projects on both a landscape level and on a watershed level. County Weed Control Superintendents are actively involved in surveying riparian areas. At the upstream edge of the Weed Management Area, the Platte County Superintendent has identified new areas of phragmites and invasive plants that will be priorities to control this season as part of the annual aerial application. The LPWMA is seeking funding to control these riparian areas within the Platte River channel in Platte County. The LPWMA is also requesting funding to survey and control small areas by airboat ground applications within the Platte River channel along the one hundred and twenty miles of river within the WMA.
The LPWMA is requesting reimbursement of administrative costs through this grant. The LPWMA now carries an insurance policy and will incur administrative costs. These costs are outlined in the budget section of the application and there is an attachment for the insurance policy.
