Yolo County RCD Tackles the Giant Reeds

The Yolo County Resource Conservation District has been awarded $2.3 million dollars by the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) using funding from Proposition 1 (Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Fund of 2014). WCB distributes these funds on a competitive basis through their Stream Flow Enhancement Program.  Our funding will be used to control giant reed or false bamboo (arundo donax) in the Putah-Cache Watershed.  This aggressive non-native plant (pictured above) is found mostly growing near water, and uses up to five times the amount of water as other plants.  It provides almost no habitat value for wildlife, is highly flammable, and can increase erosion and flooding  by blocking stream flow and pulling down streambanks.  We are currently signing landowners up to participate in this program and work will start this fall on Phase I: Lower Cache Creek, Pleasant Creek, Dry Creek, Upper Putah Creek; Willow, Chickahominy, Cottonwood, Union School and Dry Sloughs.  This is a great opportunity to remove a problem plant at NO cost to the landowner. If you or someone you know has this plant on your property anywhere in Yolo County, please contact Tanya Meyer at Meyer@yolorcd.org, (530) 661-1688 ext. 20 office, (530) 908-0236 cell.