Riparian Planting Maintenance and Noxious Weed Removal

Task 1: Jimmycomelately Creek Noxious Weed Removal: This project was completed as proposed, and contributed to the overall Jimmycomelately restoration project that began over 10 years ago. The overall restoration project entailed channel reconstruction and connection, estuary restoration, HWY 101 bridge reconstruction and revegetation. Since the projects completion, partners have focused on monitoring studies, planting maintenance and noxious weed removal. For this FY09 funding, Herb Robert, a Class B noxious weed, was removed from the mouth of the Creek to approximately River Mile 1.5 under the supervision of a certified pesticide applicator.

Task 2: Rivers End Planting Maintenance: For over a decade, Clallam County, Washington Department of Wildlife, Jamestown SKlallam Tribe, riverside property owners and other entities have been working together on the Rivers End Restoration Project to restore the lower Dungeness River and estuary and create functional floodplain. The overall project has included lower riverside property acquisition, structure removal, and restoration plantings and maintenance. Planning is ongoing for future acquisitions and restoration, along with the eventual removal and/or modifications to dikes that bound the river on each side. Restoration projects have been sequenced according to acquisition opportunities and landowner willingness.

The Task 2 proposal entailed restoration site maintenance of a nine-acre area in the Dungeness delta floodplain (within the Rivers End Restoration Project area) that was planted with native vegetation by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (using non-project funds). Restoration maintenance by the Tribe include weeding the new plantings, watering, and replacing dead stock.

Task 1: Herb Robert is listed as a Class B noxious weed. Herb Robert can displace other native understory herbs, is shade-tolerant, and its seeds tend to mature by early summer. The Tribe has been pulling it annually, but is in need of funding for spring/summer 2011. Consistent removal of this noxious weed will eventually limit this persistent noxious weed, and improve the functions of the Jimmycomelately riparian corridor, and allow native species to continue thriving.

Task 2: The Rivers End area is located within a reach of the Dungeness River that is confined by dikes on both sides of the River, restricting high flows from accessing the historic floodplain and preventing storage and transport of sediment in the floodplain. This vegetation maintenance project is part of larger effort to restore the lower River and estuary and create functional floodplain, a high priority project in the North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entitys Three Year Workplan. Restoration planting maintenance will help ensure vegetation survival which is needed for temporary sediment storage and which may reduce flood risk while the larger effort continues to be planned and implemented.