In its eighth season of cutting tamarisk in the Lower Owens River channel, Inyo County Water Department's Saltcedar Crew reached the shore of Owens Lake. While more saltcedar work lies ahead in the delta and other Owens Valley sites, it's worth pausing to reflect on the Saltcedar Program's number one priority: The Lower Owens River Channel. The channel contained the densest and most extensive populations of Owens Valley saltcedar. These dated back to 1969, when El Niño water spreading activities created conditions highly favorable to the opportunistic homestead tamarisks growing in the valley at that time.

This season's ten-person crew began at river-mile 27, south of Mazourka Canyon Road, in November and finished at mile 55, at the pump-back station, in March. Field conditions varied from thick walls of saltcedar to open, riverside meadows that required long strolls carrying our chainsaws and other equipment. The largest concentration of trees were encountered below Alabama Gates. Some of the largest saltcedars cut in the valley were growing in this area. More off-river trees remain there for future crew work.

This season marks the last of our California Wildlife Conservation Board grant funding that has been supporting the program since 2002. Matching funds from LADWP will keep the saltcedar program moving in the near future. Additional grants will be necessary to continue a valley-wide program.

Other than maintenance and follow-up monitoring of Lower Owens River work sites, future saltcedar control activity will be focused on tributaries, nearby seed sources, and spreading-basin populations. Different tools and strategies such as biocontrol and mechanical techniques may be incorporated into the control of upland, non-riparian saltcedar populations.

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The 'Blue Crew' 2005-2006

The 'Blue Crew' in action