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Chavers Mining Resource Integrated Noxious Weed Management Plan January 2024 Page 12 Note: Local terrain can influence wind patterns. Every applicator should be familiar with local wind patterns and how they affect spray drift. TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY When making applications in low relative humidity, set up equipment to produce larger droplets to compensate for evaporation. Droplet evaporation is most severe when conditions are both hot and dry. Do not apply when air temperatures exceed 90°F. TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS Do not make applications during a temperature inversion because drift potential is high. Temperature inversions restrict vertical air mixing, which causes small suspended droplets to remain in a concentrated cloud. This cloud can move in unpredictable directions due to the light variable winds common during inversions.Temperature inversions are characterized by increasing temperatures with altitude and are common on nights with limited cloud cover and light to no wind. They begin to form as the sun sets and often continue into the morning. Their presence can be indicated by ground fog; however, if fog is not present, inversions can also be identified by the movement of smoke from a ground source or an aircraft smoke generator. Smoke that layers and moves laterally in a concentrated cloud(under low wind conditions) indicates an inversion, while smoke that moves upward and rapidly dissipates indicates good vertical air mixing. SENSITIVE AREAS The pesticide may only be applied when the potential for drift to adjacent sensitive areas (e.g., residential areas,bodies of water, known habitat for threatened or endangered species, non-target crops) is minimal (e.g.,when wind is blowing away from the sensitive areas). CLEANING SPRAY EQUIPMENT All mixing equipment and air spray equipment should be thoroughly cleaned before and after mixing and applying. Do not contaminate water by cleaning of equipment or disposal of rinsate. 5.4 BASIC BIOLOGICAL CONTROL GUIDELINES Biological controls are a good option for larger infestations. Expect to wait a few years for the insects to establish and achieve optimum results. Once established, biological controls tend to persist and provide control for many years. Not all sites are suitable for biological control. Biocontrol agents are affected by the environment and climatic/cultural conditions may inhibit their efficacy.The use of these insects will also require some maintenance and considerations for their lifecycle and behavior. For more information, contact the Palisade Insectary of the Colorado Department of Agriculture.