Welcome to the IECWMA-CIPM Web-Based Eurasian Watermilfoil (EWM) Control Process! Developed in response to the continued spread of Eurasian watermilfoil (EWM) in Idaho’s waterbodies, particularly those waterbodies in Kootenai, Benewah and Shoshone Counties, this process is designed to aid County Weed Department staff and others in mapping and planning control treatments.  What you will find on these web pages is considered the initial development of this process, a process which is considered to have State-wide relevance.  The output of the decision matrix (described below) takes the form of a list of treatment options with associated cost estimates.  However, the matrix does not consider all possible factors which ultimately need to be considered in implementing an EWM control program, especially if it involves the use of herbicides.  There is still a need for treatment planners to develop a thorough understanding of treatment limitations (such as would be described on an herbicide label.  However, the current decision matrix as a decision support tool does consider the key factors that influence the selection of a control treatment and, thus, provides pertinent guidance in this.

Funding for this initial development is gratefully acknowledged from the Center for Invasive Plant Management at Montana State University – Bozeman (http://www.weedcenter.org/index.html).  The CIPM is a self-funded, educational-nonprofit organization.  The CIPM promotes ecologically sound management of invasive plants by facilitating collaboration and partnerships among scientists, educators, and land managers.  Their mission is achieved, in part, by providing grants for research and program development, in this case specifically for invasive plant prevention and early detection efforts in Cooperative Weed Management Areas.

This EWM control process was conceived and developed by IECWMA members Nina Eckberg and Dave Lamb.  Ms. Eckberg is the current IECWMA Chair and Weed Superintendent for Kootenai County.  Mr. Lamb is a Lake Ecologist with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.  Both Ms. Eckberg and Mr. Lamb are actively involved with EWM controls in waterways within the IECWMA.  The mapping component of this process was prepared by Frank Roberts and Bernie Jackson of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s Geographic Information Systems Program.  The Decision Matrix was prepared by Mr. Tim Prather, Associate Professor of Weed Ecology with the Plant, Soil and Entomological Sciences Department at the University of Idaho.  The web pages and associated links were set up by Ms. Kathy Dingman.