Reed Canary grass in wetland/watershed type area

[rangerfredbob]

I have 5 acres near a semi submerged creek in the tree line, IE I've gotten my tractor stuck mowing this stupid tall tough grass in August and September before, water table is just under the top of the soil. I have about 1/2 acre that is the lowest on the property and has a problem with reed canary grass, due to the lack of soil structure it is difficult to mow with my ~4000lb Kubota L260 and 5' brush hog at the appropriate times to get it in control (from my research it needs to be mowed about 5 times a year, most importantly before it goes to seed). I've read the other ways to control it are to shade it out with trees or cover it with plastic for I think a couple years.

I just bought the property about 5 years ago, been working on things as I can and every year I get my equipment dialed in a little better or get something else that helps, last year the weather didn't let me get on top of things... 3 years ago I planted 4 weeping willow trees, 3 survived, all are in the area I'm trying to get in control with the reed canary and two of them are up around 20' tall now, other will catch up this year.

A few months ago I bought a Billy Goat walk behind brush hog which should help, I just need to get some duals on it for flotation and to help tangles, we'll see how that works.

Anyone have any other tips? Spraying isn't an option as like it is right now there is standing water flowing into ponds and creeks that go for miles...

 

[mapper]

Sounds like it is an area that you won't be able to use for much as wet as it is. Plant it with native brush and tree species to shade out the canary grass. That stuff is an invasive species that does very little for native wild life and will crowd out most everything else when in the open. I have a patch in a low spot in my front field and it has been impossible to eradicate with mowing.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Thanks, that's basically what I'm working on, the Willow's seem happy in the swampy area and thriving so I'm going to keep up with that, get some shade over the grass and some root structure in the ground... Being willow's I can just cut off some sticks and shove them in the ground assuming it's the right time of year (not now)

 

[hslogger]

RangerFredBob,
I am south of you fifty miles and have been working on a restoration and set aside with help from BCSWCD and NRCS. I would recommend you contact your local watershed people and discuss it . I THINK that I am going to start using Rodeo and a sticker on my reed canary grass that is in our watershed project. Sometimes you gotta use bad stuff to make good stuff. Anyway, kick it around with your local professionals on your problem. good luck

 

[rangerfredbob]

I don't wanna raise too many local flags, doesn't look like anyone has tried to do much here in 30 years for that area, I just wanna be able to ride my 3 wheeler and such...

I'm going to keep everything in mind, going to get the feel of how the trees do as it's easy and so far has taken 3 years from 1' tall to 20' tall in that area so they're happy!

 

[Straightliner]

If you have a outlet put in some tile drainage. Tile works 24/7 hours a day . A section of tile will draw water 20ft each side of the tile depending on type of soil. But you need a good outlet. The tile should be at-least 21/2 to 3ft deep and a ditch on the outside of the property. If this land is considered wetland you cannot drain it .You would have to go and see your FSA for permission. The way it works as a rule to drain a wetland you have to make a wetland somewhere else .

 

[Oldoak]

If you have a outlet put in some tile drainage. Tile works 24/7 hours a day . A section of tile will draw water 20ft each side of the tile depending on type of soil. But you need a good outlet. The tile should be at-least 21/2 to 3ft deep and a ditch on the outside of the property. If this land is considered wetland you cannot drain it .You would have to go and see your FSA for permission. The way it works as a rule to drain a wetland you have to make a wetland somewhere else .

Before you get into that......think long and hard. You will be opening a can of worms when ever you get a government authority involved.

A developer in my county dammed up an area which was wet lands to create a lake and sold lots around it. When DEP got wind of what the developer had done, damming up wet lands to form a lake, they are ordering him to breach the dam and return the area to wetlands because he didn't own enough acreage to replicate the same amount of wet lands near by. Now the developer is being sued by the people who purchased the surrounding lots. Last I had heard, the case is still tied up in court between the developer and DEP and the developer and the lot owners.

Believe it or not, a lake is not considered "wet lands".

 

[rangerfredbob]

The creek in the tree line isn't on my property anyway, and the guy that owns hundreds of acres across the road from me has a couple big ponds, it is what it is, just a flat spot... the water level is about a foot lower this winter than last though.

That's kinda the reason I wanna keep low profile, one of the previous owners was already doing some questionable things, there's limits to the amount of fill dirt you can add near a wetland and thinking back to 20+ years ago there was a "free fill dirt wanted" sign down the road from where I live now and I'm pretty sure I know where it all went... I've found a 15 year old bread tie a foot underground, asphalt chunks, concrete chunks, 18" plus diameter rocks, a sink faucet, two shoes (don't think it was a pair) and other random stuff buried in the back... oh and I doubt my small pond was permitted (I didn't start it, there's a french drain on one property line that goes into it, so it might have been permitted/required from the septic drain field)...

 

[kthompson]

Wet lands epa rules are ... not easy is best I can say from my very limited knowledge. Have been told you can dig a pond in wetlands for an animal watering hold. No idea if true or not.

 

[rangerfredbob]

Here's a couple pictures of what I'm dealing with, one is just my newly acquired Billy Goat mower, the other is my riding mower next to the RC grass in May of 2017, was too wet for the tractor and brush hog in that spot at that time, was apparently just after I got the mower running and hadn't gotten the hood on yet...