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Noxious-weed staff secure $5,000 HPP grant and will study drone treatment feasibility
Summary
Montezuma County's noxious-weed program received $5,000 in HPP funds for the season and plans to spend it by June; staff said they are researching drone applications for targeted treatment but have concerns about cost and spray drift (prop-wash) in heterogeneous terrain.
Noxious-weed staff (Speaker 5) told the board the department did not apply for Colorado Department of Agriculture cost-share dollars this year but successfully obtained $5,000 through the HPP program to support local control work. Staff said they plan to expend the funds by June and will then evaluate the potential to seek additional HPP funding.
The department is researching drones as a potential tool for weed treatment. Staff noted drones may be expensive and that prop-wash could worsen spray drift, making precision spraying difficult in irregular or semi-natural terrain. "One of them being, you know, that prop wash, will... make the drift even worse," the speaker said, and staff recommended further evaluation before pursuing large purchases.
Noxious-weed staff said they will continue site visits, subdivision weed plans and conservation-district coordination (including High Desert Conservation), with an emphasis on spending the HPP funds this season to support fall control work.
