Mount Rose Noxious Weed Monitoring, Treatment & Reseeding #8

Project Description:

The project will protect the water quality of the Truckee River and its watershed by removing noxious weeds from the heavily used Hunter creek watershed and reseeding treated areas with native plants. Staff will monitor known weed locales and scout for appropriate re-seeding sites in the spring. During May & June, staff will lead volunteers to remove noxious weeds with shovels and by hand. In the fall, staff and USFS agency partners will lead volunteers to previously identified sites to disperse seed by hand.

TMWA Benefit:

This project is aligned with priorities I (Aquatic Invasive Species), II (Watershed Improvements), VI (Stewardship & Environmental Awareness), and VII (Meet Multiple Objectives). Noxious weeds, specifically Musk Thistle, pose a significant threat to the health of the Truckee River Watershed. Through volunteer stewardship projects, we seek to improve Truckee River Watershed health by removing these noxious weeds. Reducing the number of weeds in the Hunter Creek area (a main tributary to the Truckee River) will improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, and slow the spread further downstream, as well as enhance the recreation qualities of the Hunter Creek Trail. The Wilderness Weed Warriors program seeks to both engage and educate the public on the importance of noxious weed management, and by doing so can inspire more stewardship and environmental awareness of the entire Truckee River corridor.