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Oswego County SWCD authorizes up to $85,000 herbicide contract for water chestnut control
Summary
The Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District voted March 10 to contract with Chase Enterprises for herbicide control of water chestnuts in the Oswego River, authorizing expenditures up to $85,000 and noting the contract is the final renewal year and will be rebid next year.
The Oswego County Soil and Water Conservation District on March 10 approved a contract with Chase Enterprises for herbicide control of water chestnuts in the Oswego River, authorizing spending not to exceed $85,000.
The motion to enter the agreement, made by Vice Chairperson Linda Lockwood and seconded by Director Tom Bonoffski, carried 3-0. The minutes state this is the final year of renewal for the contractor and that the project will be rebid next year.
District staff discussed operational details tied to the program, including permitting and maps supplied to the contractor, Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) development for EPA-related work, and efforts to site intern launch points closer to infestations to reduce travel time. Dylan Cox reported creating the herbicide treatment maps and assisting with QAPP preparation; Joe Chairvolotti summarized possible reductions in intern-team size and the taskforce’s permitting outline to improve access to treatment sites.
The board’s action formalizes the herbicide-based component of a larger water chestnut control effort that also includes hand-pulling permits and inter-county coordination under GLRI-funded efforts. The minutes state the contractor per-acre rate, permitting fee and daily minimum were unchanged from prior years. Next procedural steps noted in the minutes include executing the contract and proceeding with permitting and QAPP finalization.
The board scheduled its next regular meeting for April 14, 2026.
