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WEED CONTROL PROGRAM <br />Barnhart Pit DRMS M- 1984 -008 In Temporary Cessation <br />Date: October 13, 2014, revised <br />The Barnhart Pit area in the vicinity of the two ponds has a significant infestation of noxious weed <br />species. The following five species are the predominant weeds and are on the State B List: <br />• Musk thistle <br />• Canada thistle <br />• Russian knapweed <br />• Saltcedar <br />• Russian olive tree <br />The B List recommends "containment', which means maintaining an intensively managed buffer zone <br />that separates infested regions, where suppression activities prevail, from largely uninfested regions, <br />where eradication activities prevail. <br />Transit Mix Concrete proposes a three year effort to contain the weed species. Chemical spraying will <br />be the primary method of control, as it proves most successful in heavily infested sites such as this. <br />Rather than mechanical control, spraying also avoids root sprouting from broken root segments <br />remaining in the ground and minimizes soil disturbance which often encourages more weeds. <br />The spraying program will begin in the north weed areas adjacent to Townsend Drive. Then spraying <br />will proceed along the western weed border. When those areas are given a first chemical application, <br />spraying will proceed eastward toward the Arkansas River. In this way, we can contain the weeds and <br />prevent more spreading toward surrounding property to the north and west. <br />Based on the location and size, the saltcedar and Russian olive trees will be treated by one of the <br />following: <br />• The cut stump method, where the trees are cut down and the remaining stump is treated <br />immediately with an herbicide. The tree slash will either be chipped on site and removed or <br />stored on site and later burned. <br />The removal of the entire tree including the stump by an excavator with a thumb on the bucket. <br />The tree slash will either be chipped on site and removed or stored on site and later burned. <br />Tree sprouts from the broken roots emerging the next year will be treated with an herbicide. <br />The thistle and other tall weed areas will be mowed this fall or winter to allow access to the areas for <br />inspection and later spraying. <br />Because of the late time of year, we believe that spraying in 2014 will have a minimal positive affect. <br />Therefore we will start our program in the spring of 2015. <br />