The Montezuma County Board of Commissioners approved a plan to reduce the amount of non-native Russian olive trees in the county.
Commissioners Keenan Ertel and James Lambert voted for the program, and Commissioner Larry Don Suckla voted against it.
Weed Department Manager Bonnie Loving gave a presentation of the problem of Russian olive trees, listed as an noxious species in Colorado that should be controlled or eradicated.
A recent survey estimated there were 6,000 acres of infested acres in the county, she said, including along waterways and in pastures and wetlands. Estimated average density of Russian olive is 15 percent.
Maintained mature Russian olives in yards and pastures are not a problem, Loving said, but those that crowd ditches and waterways suck away needed water and clog irrigation systems with fallen debris.
“I want to focus on waterways where there is a problem with these trees,” Loving said. “We’re not talking about mature trees growing in someone’s yard.”
Loving said the eradication program is voluntary and offers a cost-share incentive for interested landowners if a grant is approved. She is applying for a $36,000 state grant for the cost of two workers to help landowners cut down the trees and treat the stumps with herbicide. There will be no cost to the county, she said.
Russian olives are robbing water resources during a drought, Loving said.
Using data from published studies and based on the 15 percent estimated density, she estimates the county loses 4,800 acre-feet of water each year to Russian olives.
Suckla said the county should not target Russian olives, but should instead invest more in tamarisk controls.
“I have not heard from constituents that Russian olive are a problem,” he said, noting that he has an affinity for them.
Tamarisk are much worse, Suckla said, because they secrete salt that kills the soil.
“Look below a Russian olive, and you see birds and grass. I believe we are going after the wrong one,” he said.
Commissioners Keenan Ertel and James Lambert supported the program. Ertel said reducing the water consumption of Russian olives would show the county was doing all it could to manage its water resources, especially during drought.
“It’s coming down to a battle for water resources on the Western Slope, and this is a small step in the right direction to show responsibility toward using our water in the most productive way,” he said.
Liens issued for nonpaymentRussian olives are on the List B designation by the Colorado Commission of Agriculture, and are recommended for control and eradication.
More problematic weeds are on List A and are required to be eliminated under the Colorado Noxious Weed Act.
The act allows counties to enter private property to take care of List A noxious weeds if the landowner refuses after multiple requests. The landowner is then sent the bill the county incurred for treatment. Under Colorado law, if the bill is not paid, a lien can be put on the property until payment is made.
The weed department has been surveying the county for the worst noxious weed infestation problems.
In 2018, the county sent 67 noxious weed enforcement letters, and most property owners took action to control their weeds. Of those, 12 were treated by the county, but only seven paid the bill.
Last week, the commissioners approved liens for three properties that have not paid the bills, which range from $400 to $3,000. They are waiting on whether to put liens on two other landowners.
Other county news
An advisory board will be formed to advance the Paths to Mesa Verde project, a 17-mile, non-motorized trail from Cortez to Mancos. For more information, call the county public lands department at 970-565-7402.The San Juan National Forest Dolores Ranger District reported that a county proposal to establish a motorized trail from Sage Hen to the McPhee Dam will be reviewed in 2019. The county wants to build a connection to the motorized RimRocker Trail, which connects Montrose to Moab. The Sage Hen area is non-motorized, but the county wants an exception for a trail connecting to a road that accesses a bridge across the Dolores River below the dam.The Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum will host public meetings for a proposed fee increase on Dec. 4 and 6 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the visitor center and museum. The proposal raises fees from $3 to $5 collected year-round. Fees will support programs and projects that benefit visitors. A short presentation explaining the fee increase will be followed by open discussion and questions and answers with participants. For those unable to make the meetings, contact the BLM at 970-882-5616 for questions or concerns.
