Silver Creek Summer Projects and Monitoring

(above) Lonny checking well levels at reed canaary grass plots.

We are hard at work already this summer with numerous projects and ongoing monitoring. This week we are watering and montioring the Reed Canary grass experimental project started last summer and also continuing with our bi-monthly water monitoring.

Some other things we are working on:

Stalker Creek Streambank Treatment-
This is a continuation of the stream alteration project that began in 2003 on Stalker Creek. With the help of Intermountain Aquatics (IMA) we are testing the effectiveness of Wetland Sod and various methods of backfilling the existing bio-logs. We will test a variety of treatments and monitor their success over time, specifically to test their resistance to Reed Canary Grass establishment. This year we are planting over 30,000 rush plugs behind the bio-logs as well as over 50 wetland sod mats and hundreds of willow cuttings.

Reed Canary Grass Testing-
This is an experimental project on Reed Canary Grass. We have set up a
variety of test plots on the seasonally flooded benches of Stalker Creek and will be testing various treatments on Reed Canary Grass including various herbicide applications, the installation of wetland plugs, wetland sod, etc. If you notice flagging and stakes around Stalker Creek, these are the sample plots. The goal of this project is to test conventional revegetation and herbicide techniques and alternative techniques to determine the most effective alternative for Reed Canary Grass suppression.

Upland Restoration-
This project is an attempt to restore both upland areas where weeds have
taken over and agricultural land back to native dryland vegetation. Thirteen acres were burnt last fall and then seeded with natives. This summer we are watering the area and spot treating for weeds. This project also includes monitoring for success over time.

Vegetation monitoring-
One of our interns will be setting up several vegetation monitoring transects throughout the preserve this year. This will help us monitor the changes in vegetation communities over time.

Temperature monitoring-
We are setting up temperature monitoring throughout the preserve this year to suppliment and compliment information gathered by Chris James of University of Idaho as well as the information gathered from the thermal imaging project conducted in 2004.

Call us for volunteer information!!