This posting was modified to include the City's Corporation Yard parking lots.

Proposed Dates of Use: As conditions and time permit from February 16 & 17, 2023. See locations below:
Stormwater utility sites - driveways, fence lines and infrastructure in the following areas:
SDS #1 
SDS #2 
SDS #3 at H St
SDS #4 
SDS #5 1 mile south of I80 in bypass, north and south side of station
SDS #6 SE side of Richards BLVD underpass
SDS #7 at Sutter Davis
SDS #8 at Evergreen Pond 
SDS#9 on Cannery Loop
& parking lots in City Corporation Yards.

Applications will occur during working hours; schedule is dependent on wind and weather conditions staying within acceptable parameters.   

Detailed Location of Application Site: Stormwater driveways, fence lines, infrastructure and parking lots in areas closed to the public. 

Posting and Notification: Site notifications will be posted at least 72 hours before application via the pesticide application electronic notification system and at site entrances, remaining 24 hours after.

Pesticide Products: Capstone (Triclopyr Triethylamine Salt, Aminopyralid Triisopropanolamine Salt), Telar (Chlorsulfuron2-Chloro-N-[(4-methoxy-6-methyl1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)aminocarbonyl]), Transline (clopyralid: 3,6-dichloro-2-pyridinecarboxylic acid, monoethanolamine salt), Vastlan (Triclopyr choline: 2-[(3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinyl)oxyacetic acid, choline salt), Lifeline: (Glufosinate Ammonium 24.5%)

EPA Reg #: 62719-572, 432-1561, 62719-259, 62719-687, 70506-310
Pesticide Type: Herbicide
City Use Type: Tier 2, Limited-use, more restrictive – Telar, Capstone, Transline, Vastlan; Tier 3 hazard ranking, least restrictive - Lifeline
*Not all products will be applied at one time.  Application mix will depend on target pests, timing and site constraints.

Target Pests:  Pepperweed, short-pod mustard, yellow star thistle, Mare’s Tail, Russian thistle, Stinkwort, Prickly Lettuce, fluvellein, other broad-leaf annual weeds.

Justification for Use: All application areas are closed to the public and herbicide use will be limited to areas that do not allow for other methods.  This herbicide use is justified due to the need for safe access to these critical infrastructure facilities year-round.  These weeds pose a critical infrastructure risk to the pump stations because vegetation will root on edges and in cracks, and eventually undermine the integrity of the facility.  The stations can become overgrown with vegetation during the wet season due to regular inputs of new seed from natural causes and our other management activities.  Mowing or string trimming are not reliable ways to manage the vegetation in these specific areas because they leave the plants and actually promote new growth on the grasses.  It is also hard on equipment and operators to mow/trim over gravel because the small rocks are thrown around. Additional needs include safe access to stations throughout the year to perform maintenance and fire risk management.  

Pepperweed is of particular concern because there is no reliable way to control it without herbicide. Mechanical cultivation or hand hoeing are not options because the plant can reproduce from vegetative material and these methods will actually increase the infestation.  The plant can cause damage to stations and well sites because it’s large, tuberous roots can undermine pipes, foundations and other facilities.  Other weeds, including yellow star thistle, provide significant fuel for fire, burning hotter than grasses due to a high oil content.  There is no reliable way to kill these weeds using non-chemical methods at the scale they exist on the sites. 

Effective, well-timed control will decrease pesticide usage over time because less seed and reproductive material will be present in the soil.  However, the need for access to secure public safety may affect this trend, depending on conditions such as rainfall amounts, timing and ground temperature.  We propose to reduce our use in the following ways:

• Stations with asphalt surfaces will be crack-sealed this summer to prevent future infestations in those areas.
• Spray timing is critical to effective control and reduced use over time.  The proposed timing of the spray is before annual grass seeds set, preventing another generation of weed growth.   
• Double-check surrounding areas during dry months to make sure no irrigation over-spray is affecting conditions.
•  Keep sites and stations maintained to prevent flooding of access areas and deposition of weed seeds.
• Practice responsible vehicle access during wet months to prevent road damage and the need for repair work that is a vector for invasive species.
• Clean and maintain all equipment before and after use to prevent the transfer of seeds and plant materials between sites and/or into sensitive areas.   
• Continue to promote the use of tree canopy to shade conveyance channels and prevent weed growth that blocks flow.