Committee receives inspection update

The Mountain View County policies and priorities committee has been given an update on this summer’s weed inspection program in the municipality.

The review came as part of the Legislative, Community and Agricultural Services report presented to the committee at its recent regularly scheduled meeting in council chambers.

In his monthly report, department head Chris Atchison gave reports on the weed inspection program, the roadside grass mowing program, the roadside vegetation control program, and a pest update.

Regarding weed inspection program, he said to date workers have completed approximately 325 rural weed inspections and 190 urban inspections.

“We are now seeing a lot of toadflax compared to recent years,” he said. “The Sundre Golf Club has had their flowering rush sprayed and attained good control. Olds College is working with the Alberta aquatic invasive species specialist in getting required permits in place to spray the phragmites. Spraying will be completed in 2019.”
Funding was received from Alberta Environment and Parks for the continued weed control effort along the Bearberry Creek, Fallentimber Creek and Red Deer River, he said.

“Bearberry Creek is showing signs of improvement from previous years, although there were still at least a dozen tansy and some yellow clematis, but much less than before,” he said.

“There are still some areas of concern along the Fallentimber Creek but it too seems to be improving. There is a large patch where the Fallentimber Creek flows into the Red Deer River that requires future attention. There is tansy, scentless chamomile and thistle which may have been brought in with the equipment and rocks used to strengthen the shoreline.”

Regarding the roadside grass mowing program, he said hardtop road surfaces have received two cuts and the gravel received one.

“The sequence of grass cutting is as follows: first cut on hardtop road surfaces, then the gravel roads receive one cut, then the second cut of hardtop is completed,” he said.

The first cut on all hardtop surfaces has been completed, and the gravel road portion is currently underway, with the gravel roads east of Rge. Rd. 20 completed, he said.

“As part of the 2018 budget a second cut of select gravel roads trial is underway,” he said. “The trial areas are in the extreme northeast and southeast corners of the county.

“The first cut of gravel for the trial areas was completed at the same time as the hardtop first cut. The second cut will coincide with the second cut on hardtop. Operational services have been evaluating the success of the trial.”

Regarding the roadside vegetation control program, he said, “Roughly 1,000 hectares was sprayed over 1,200 ditch miles. Toadflax spraying has started in the southeast portion of the county. Under the roadside weed control program one third of the county is sprayed annually with spot spraying occurring throughout in response to toadflax, thistles and other regulated weeds observed requiring seasonal action.”

The roadside spraying program started at Rge. Rd. 80 and Twp. Rd. 340 and continued to cover the north portion of the county, ending at Rge. Rd. 11 and Twp. Rd. 314, he said.

“Through the program roughly 1,120 hectares were sprayed covering 1,200 ditch miles. The spot spray program is still ongoing with the primary target weed being toadflax in the southeast portion of the county,” he said.

Regarding the pest control program, he said the bertha armyworm survey has been completed.

“There weren't any numbers to be concerned about this year,” he said. “Our highest trap count was 26 in a trap out east. Thresholds below 300 per trap are considered a low infestation and not of concern. We have completed the grasshopper survey. Nothing alarming came out of that survey.”
Staff is currently scouting fields for wheat midge sampling and clubroot sampling, he said.

“We have completed some grab samples on five canola fields that had signs of stress but have not found anything so far,” he said.

Meanwhile, he reported that the agricultural service board has received a letter of interest from All In Waste Solutions for consideration for the Farm Plastics Round-Up Program.

“A representative from the All In Waste Solutions presented briefly their interest in taking over the collection of waste agricultural plastics program at the (recent) board meeting,” he said.

The board supports the letter of interest and requests All In Waste Solutions make a presentation to council for its consideration for the request to change the operation of the Farm Plastics Round-Up Program, he said.

The Legislative, Community and Agricultural Services report was accepted by the committee as information.