Leafy spurge is along fenceline and in the pasture

The Valley County Weed District has teamed up with the Glasgow Irrigation District since 2002 to control noxious weeds on 46 miles of main canal and 44 miles of lateral canals. Think about noxious weed seeds being spread by a water system 90 miles long. Wildlife and domestic animals have been spreading seeds from near that water source. Also, think about walking through a solid stand of mature Canada thistle for 1/8 mile! Not a pleasant thought! That was the situation in 2002 on the irrigation canal system in Valley County. The Glasgow Irrigation District and the Valley County Weed District decided to do something about these noxious weeds. Now in 2009, they are under control and the canal system, overall, is in good condition, thanks to financial funding through the Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund Grant Program. The canal system has 46 miles of main canal from Vandalia Dam in the west and flows east to Nashua. There are 19 lateral canals (44 total miles) that also were infested in areas with leafy spurge that are under control. For anyone who has ever been involved with noxious weed control, the reality is that the work is never truly done. However the ranchers and farmers who use the canal system have seen great results and can be confident that their land and crops will not be lost or severely damaged by infestations of noxious weeds.

Leafy spurge was treated with Tordon22K and 2-4D

For more information contact Rick Stellflug, Valley County Weed Coordinator