Duchesne County Weed Board reviews widespread invasive weed outbreaks, seeks grant partnerships and raises service fees

The Duchesne County Weed Board on April 14 reviewed a summer of heavy invasive-weed activity across county rangelands and roadways and discussed next steps, including grant partnerships, contractor options and modest rate increases for private spraying services.

Board members and staff described widespread white top (verbascum/whitetop) and musk-thistle outbreaks in Pleasant Valley, Roosevelt, Indian Canyon and along the Strawberry River. A Weed Board staff member said crews “spent a couple days down there, got that knocked out,” but that in many areas the plants “seeded out before we could get most of the white top.” The board reported seeing infestations across much of the county and noted that dry conditions limited herbicide uptake this year, requiring repeat treatments.

Why it matters: speakers emphasized seed-bank longevity and cross-jurisdictional spread. Board members said musk thistle seed can persist for years and estimated a multi-year control effort will be required. Staff described a roughly 90-acre field of thistle that they plan to treat next spring, and warned that unchecked seed production in large patches can rapidly repopulate surrounding land.

Board discussion and technical details

Staff reported the county still has one year remaining on a contract with the Bureau of Land Management to treat infestations below Pleasant Valley and that crews focused on high-priority zones this season. Board members and staff described treatment challenges during a dry year: several herbicides and mixtures were used, including glyphosate (Roundup), 2,4-D and dicamba blends, but some treatments required follow-up because plants were not actively growing and did not absorb the spray. One staff member said the board ran “64 ounces an acre” for some mixes and that heavier rates were used where legally allowable.

For musk thistle, staff emphasized that hitting plants in the rosette stage is most…