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Drainage board hears local study on controlling invasive reed canary grass
Summary
County staff and local landowners presented a multi‑year Reed Canary Grass control study, describing herbicide trials, a controlled burn, reseeding attempts and operational changes (metered application systems) and urging ongoing monitoring and coordination with adjacent landowners.
Clinton County Drainage Board members heard a detailed presentation on a local experiment to suppress reed canary grass along drainage ditches, a non‑native, cool‑season grass that reproduces by both extensive rhizomes and durable seed.
Presenters (including Mr. Crumb, Mike and Gary) described repeated treatments at a test site: an initial high‑coverage glyphosate application in mid‑2024, follow‑up sprays in fall 2024 and July 2025, and a controlled burn on standing biomass performed by a landowner to reduce surface organic matter. "We set it back, but do I think we'll probably see reed canary grass back? The answer to that is probably yes," one presenter said, adding that success for the study would be suppressing the infestation for a decade rather than full eradication.
The presenters described three practical challenges: (1) rhizome persistence under the soil that often survives herbicide applications, (2) seed inputs from upstream properties that re‑infest treated reaches, and (3) erosion risks from leaving banks bare after treatment. They showed before/after photos and noted uncertainty about seed viability duration, which complicates dredging or dipping operations because moved material might reintroduce seed farther downstream.
To improve treatment efficacy, presenters recommended equipment and operational changes. They proposed metered mixing systems (dosatrons) to ensure fresh, properly mixed spray solutions in the field and stressed the importance of spray water quality: "The biggest thing I can tell you guys is water quality. Test your water," one presenter said, warning that hardness in spray water can bind and deactivate certain herbicides and reduce control.
Presenters also warned about resistance from repeated use of the same modes of action and discussed rotating chemistries where permitted and safe. They reviewed selective herbicide options that can work in turf situations but cautioned these would damage many desirable ditch‑bank species and so are of limited use on drainage banks.
Board members asked whether routine dredging or dipping could spread seed; presenters recommended placing dredged material low in the ditch rather than on banks to reduce spread risk but acknowledged unknowns about seed shelf life. One board member said the team should have included an adjacent landowner (Jeff Cox) earlier to reduce downstream reinvasion; presenters agreed and described the exercise as an iterative, learning study.
The board requested follow‑up reporting and monitoring of treated reaches. Presenters recommended reseeding with a desirable forage (orchard grass) and additional seeding if establishment is poor. They characterized this as a multi‑year management approach focused on suppression and maintaining flow rather than a one‑time eradication.
Next steps: staff will continue monitoring the test plot, report back on establishment of seeded species and any additional treatments, and coordinate with adjacent landowners before dredging or moving material to reduce reinfestation risks.
