IPM Issues in the West

Kevin Fitzsimmons University of Arizona

Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science

Integrated Pest Management and

Aquatic Nuisance Species

• How did we get here?

Introduction of Exotics

• Domesticated animals.

• Domesticated plants.

• Introduced “wild” animals

Introduction of “wild” plants

Aquatic Nuisance Speciesand

Integrated Pest Management

• Federal Plan

• State Plan

• Aquatic Weed Management Area

• IPM Management Activities

A. N. S.Federal Plans

• Nonindigenous ANS Act 1990

• Executive Order 13112 Feb. 99

• 100th Meridian Initiative

• Federal ANS Task Force

• Western Regional Panel on ANS

• State Plans

• USFWS support of state plans

A. N. S.Arizona

• Arizona State Plan (Draft)

• A.N.S. Task Force

• AZG&F, AZ Dept. of Ag, USFWS, BoR, US Park Service, US Forest Service, BLM, University of Arizona, AZ Aquaculture Association

• Public Meetings

Aquatic Weed Control in the Southwest

• Aquatic Weed Control in the Southwest Proposal

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

• Bureau of Reclamation

• Central Arizona Project

• Salt River Project

• Arizona Game and Fish Dept.

• University of Arizona

Aquatic Weed Control in the SouthwestObjectives

1. Prepare AZ ANS State Plan for Governor’s signature.

2. Establish an Aquatic Weed Management Area

3. Quantify aquatic plant control trials in CAP and SRP

4. Develop ANS Web site

5. Instructional materials

6. Serve as model for AWMA’s in other areas.

Objective 1. Prepare AZ ANS State Plan for Governor’s

signature

1. Expand AZ ANS Task Force

2. Public meetings

3. Approval from other agencies

4. Compare to other state plans

5. Coordinate with Federal plans

6. Submit draft to Governors staff

Objective 4. Develop ANS Website

1. http://ag.arizona.edu/azaqua/extension/ANS/ANS.htm

Aquatic Weed Control in the Southwest:

Delta of the Colorado River

1. Establish an Aquatic Weed Management Area

2. Develop IPM plan

3. Use existing data for ANS

4. Identify locations of exotics

5. Implement controls

6. Monitoring

Background:Delta of the Colorado River

• Dry during filling of Glen Canyon

• Invaded by exotics

• Irregular flows have assisted re-vegetation by natives provided partial control of ANS

Annual Flows

Glen CanyonDam Completed

Lake Powell

fills

Potential Delta AWMA

Colorado River Delta Project Area

Ciénega

Altar Desert

Water &Mud Flats

S E A W i F S (1 km resolution) 1998 Image

Transects May 24, 1999

Thematic Mapper (30m Resolution) 1998 Image

Percent Cover determined using TM NDVI

4

89

DigitalPhotos

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Area = 67m x 100m Alt. = 150mRes. = 1.7m

Length= 1.5 kmwith 10 kmspacing

Swath = 600mAlt. = 1000mRes. = 17.5m

DyCAM (fov: 100m)overlayed with

Video Still (fov: 30m)

Vegetation Indices (VI) / Image

• Using vegetation indices to identify ANS in the Delta

Percent Cover Comparison

ComputerVisual

Using LAI to Identify ANS

Transects with natives and ANS

• Can identify zones with ANS

• Areas with flooding favor natives

• Vegetation differences can be traced back to individual flood events

Percent Cover by Species in Understory, Midstory, Overstory,

% of Total Land Cover & Area (ha)

Conclusions

• Aquatic Weed Management Area could be established in Lower Delta based on political, management and agro-ecosystem boundaries

• IPM plan could be developed based on flooding and ag run-off schedules

• Satellite images can be used to assess habitat extent, water availability, and land use change.

• Lower Colorado River Accounting System and LC Species Management Plan

Conclusions

• IPM of Delta AWMA will depend more on flooding, remote monitoring, control of ag effluents

• IPM of CAP-SRP AWMA will depend more on education, monitoring, biological controls and active management by staff

• All AWMA’s would need linkages and coordination

From the Colorado to …..