YANKTON, S.D. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will conduct vegetation management activities on sandbars in the Missouri River between Yankton and Vermillion, South Dakota, the upper portion of Lewis and Clark Lake near Springfield, South Dakota and Niobrara, Nebraska, and as far upstream as Pickstown, South Dakota in September.
This work is being done to keep the sandbars free of vegetation and usable by the endangered interior least tern and threatened piping plover for nesting as well to control invasive common reed that has become prevalent in the lake area.
Certified applicators using helicopters will begin spraying after Labor Day only on vegetated portions of the sandbars. Approximately 1,300 acres have been identified for treatment by a team of federal and state representatives. Spraying will be done with glyphosate and imazapyr herbicides, both approved for aquatic use by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency.
Spraying will take place only when environmental conditions allow, such as little to no wind and no rainfall in the immediate forecast. While efforts will be made to conduct spraying during the week, when public use is lower, spraying may occur on weekends since good spraying days can be limited due to wind or rain.
The Corps began current vegetation control and removal activities on selected sandbars in 2012 and will continue each spring and/or fall, as needed, into the future.
Release no. 20-086