NATIVE AREAS DATA BY NUMBERED SECTIONS WITH MAP (8/2001)
Area 16:
Riverbank - Landfill
Work Started:
1998
Preexisting conditions:
Garbage dump, Badly eroding, and steep slopes. Some exposed garbage. No herbaceous layer. Scrub tree growth – Cottonwood, Box Elder, Buckthorn. Some Milkweed, Germander and White Vervain present on wood edges.
Work done:
Trees:
(1998) Cut Buckthorn – thin Chinese Elm, Box Elder
Shrubs:
(1998) Contractors added Willow trees along river edge - failed
Vines:
(1998) Control some grapes and Virginia Creeper
Plants:
(1998) Contractors added grasses, rushes & reeds along river edge - failed
Seeds:
(1998) Contractor hydroseeded with grasses only. There were huge amounts of broadleaf weeds present, so this would give us easier weed control with herbicides.
(1998) Locally genetic Forbs along top edge –Butterfly Weed, etc.
(2002-2004) A 3-8 foot band of moved grass was killed up to the baseball field fence and planted with grasses and sedges.
Weeds:
(1998) Catnip, Teasel, Morning Glory, Canada Thistles, Bull Thistles, and Mustards. Garlic Mustard sprayed and pulled.
(2002-2004) Weed seedbank very deep. Most of control is from ball field fence, north to area #15.
Burn:
(1998) None
Other:
(1998) Wood chipped path added along College Drive
(2002-2004) Wood chipped path converted to a prairie planting.
The erosion has slowed down.
Top of slope up to softball field is stabilizing
Negative:
Erosion – gullies are still very bad.
Area behind softball field to Golf Road – still very bad
A long, barren methane vent has emerged along the top of the slope
Contractors work at river edge failed
(2003-2004) Erosion on the slope still very bad. Very steep slope angle does not allow plants to grow.
| Work to Do: |
Work Completed: |
| Control erosion through berms, plants, netting, and terracing | Erosion control - Because of methane veins along the top of the scope seeding is being extended 3' - 8' from original border to establish deep roots for erosion control. |
| Regrade edges, remove debris | |
| Create more prairie and wetlands along the path to slow down eroding water runoff | |
| Replenish path | |
| Thin trees - Box Elders, Chinese Elm | |
| Weed around tress | |
| Consider another grant to stabilize soil | |
Comments:
Very long-term project
(2003-2004) The river bank from Golf Road North to the bend behind the softball field is not being worked on right now. Buckthorn and weed problem coming back full force.
