Problem: Weeds, erosion, high costs of excessive spraying, chemical build-up, rebuilding banks, and loss of habitat are typical irrigation canal issues. Rampant noxious weeds threaten efficient water delivery, dump weed seeds into irrigation flows, and induce a never-ending spraying cycle. Some canal banks and berms are sprayed five times a year, thus denuding the area of all vegetation and increasing bank instability and erosion. Expensive bank rebuilding may be necessary and the whole process produces a desert landscape devoid of habitat and biodiversity. 

Solution:  Sustainable native plant systems that control weeds, reduce spraying and canal bank erosion, and create unobtrusive habitat. Native grasses and plants replace weeds and have roots that extend down 3'to 10'. They stabilize banks while supporting water flows and cost-effective management goals. Once established, natives will not inhibit flow but will out-compete weeds to reduce herbicide use and in-field invasions of weed seeds. Less erosion means less maintenance, fewer supplies, and lower labor costs. Vegetation filters excess nutrients while simultaneously adding biological diversity and attractive canal habitat. 

For further information, refer to our Resource Library:  Canal Vegetation