Office Location: 650 Hawthorne Ave SE, Ste # 130 Salem, OR 97301-5894 We are located in the Salem USDA Service Center Phone: (503) 391-9927 Fax: (503) 399-5799 E-mail: marion.swcd@oacd.org Office Photo and Map

Project Description:

The staff at the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District (District), with approval from the Board of Directors, created a Weed Inventory Program in 2008. The overall goal of this program is to inventory where the riparian weed problems start so that natural resource agencies may then focus their education, control and restoration work where it is most necessary. This project is a partnership between the District, US Forest Service-Willamette National Forest, Oregon Department of Forestry, North Santiam Watershed Council, Mid-Willamette Cooperative Weed Management Area, Marion County Weed Control District, Bureau of Land Management and Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation and Development Area, Inc.

2010 Survey: North Santiam and Santiam Rivers
The Marion Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will be conducting an Invasive Plant Survey this summer along the banks of the North Santiam and Santiam Rivers in Marion County.  The surveys will begin west of the Stayton city limits and end at the Willamette River.  The lower portions of selected tributaries will also be surveyed, including: Cold Creek, Sidney Ditch, Morgan Creek, Jefferson Ditch, Marion Creek, Talbot Slough, Edgar Slough and Logan Slough.  The surveys will include both public and private lands, and crews will be surveying for 4 weeks: 2 weeks each in June and July.

After the surveys are completed and priority areas are determined, the Marion SWCD plans to carry out an education/outreach plan and will invite landowners to attend public meetings regarding technical assistance to control invasive species and restore these sites.  We will hold these public meetings in winter of 2010/2011 to provide information on weed species that were found, how to identify weed species, and how to control and eradicate weed species. 

2009 Survey: North Santiam River
The Marion Soil and Water Conservation District conducted an Invasive Species Survey on public and private property along the North Santiam River in the summer of 2009.  The surveys began at Whitewater Creek above Idanha, and continued through the Stayton city limits. The goal of this survey was to record all the Marion County Weed Board Listed weed species that occurred throughout the riparian section of the river.

The survey crew found 8 species from the weed list along a 53 mile stretch of the North Santiam River and the lower portions of 27 tributaries. There was a greater concentration of weed occurrences in the lower stretches of the survey area From Gates downstream to Stayton than in the upper portion of the survey above Big Cliff and Detroit Dams.  The lower section of the survey area is more populated than the upper section and is associated with increased recreational use and access.  This increase in activity leads to the increased spread and transport of invasive species.  Future projects include working with private landowners and federal, state, and county personnel to develop control and restoration plans.

The 8 species that were found in the survey area include: Japanese knotweed, meadow, spotted, and diffuse knapweeds, tansy ragwort, false brome, yellow flag iris and purple loosestrife. More information regarding control and eradication of invasive species

North Santiam Inventory Report

Public Informational Meetings
Public Meetings will be a presentation at City Council Meetings in Stayton and Mill City.  We are hoping to reach a wider audience by presenting at City Council meetings, rather than holding independent meetings to present the results of our surveys.  Our intent is to inform citizens and council members about the results of these surveys and the impacts of invasive species in our area, so that they can be better informed about potential invasive species on their property and in their community.

Date	Time	Location
January 19	7:00 pm	Stayton City Council Stayton Community Center 400 W. Virginia St
January 26	6:00 pm	Mill City City Council 252 SW Cedar St (City Hall)
April 8	7:00 pm	North Santiam Watershed Council Meeting Stayton Community Center 400 W. Virginia St

A mailing will be sent to landowners in early January 2010 with the results of the survey and meeting information. If you are a landowner interested in the findings on your property please contact Jenny Meisel.

For more information regarding the survey or upcoming meetings contact:
Project Coordinator: Jennifer Meisel
Phone: 503-399-5741 ext. 110
E-mail: Jennifer.Meisel@or.nacdnet.net

2008 Survey: Little North Santiam River
The first weed inventory was conducted along the banks of the Little North Santiam River in August and September 2008. The goal of this survey was to record all the Marion County Weed Board Listed weed species that occurred throughout the visual riparian sections of the river.

The survey crew found a total of 7 species from the weed list along a 25 mile stretch of river. There was a greater concentration of weed species in the lower section of the river near the confluence with the North Santiam River and the town of Lyons, than in the upper and middle sections of theriver. These areas downstream are associated with increased recreational use and access, and have a greater population base. Future projects include working with private landowners and federal, state, and county personnel to develop control and restoration plans.

The species found include: diffuse knapweed, meadow knapweed, spotted knapweed, Italian thistle, tansy ragwort, false brome, and yellow flag iris. More information regarding control and eradication of invasive species

Little North Santiam Watershed Inventory Report

Future Survey Locations

• Mill Creek
• Upper Pudding River
• Pudding River and Butte Creek
• Willamette River and Chehalem Creek
• Additional Riparian Areas within Marion Soil and Water Conservation District

Invasive Weed Species

Invasive Weed Species (click on the picture to learn more about it)
	False brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum)
	Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa)
	Giant, Japanese, and Himalayan or Bohemian knotweeds  (Polygonum sp. or Fallopia sp.)
Italian thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus)	Italian thistle (Carduus pycnocephalus)
Meadow knapweed (Centaurea pratensis)	Meadow knapweed (Centaurea pratensis)
	Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa)
	Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
	Tansy Ragwort (Senecio jacobea)
	Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)
Posters were designed by the Marion County Weed Control District of Marion County, Oregon

For more information regarding invasive species please refer to the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Marion County Department of Public Works, as they are the regulatory agencies that oversee invasive species control and eradication in Marion County. Follow the links to the noxious weed profiles to learn more about each species

• Marion County Public Works - Weed Control District
• Oregon Department of Agriculture - Noxious Weed Control

Download a free screensaver featuring photos of noxious weeds. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

Back to Top

The Marion SWCD is an equal opportunity employer, providing services to the public without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political belief, sexual orientation, and marital or family status.

Website designed and maintained by the Marion SWCD

Marion Soil and Water Conservation District
650 Hawthorne Avenue SE, Suite 130
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (503) 391-9927
Fax: (503) 399-5799
E-mail: marion.swcd@oacd.org
Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday thru Friday (except federal holidays)

If you have questions or comments about this website E-mail the Website Editor.