Comments on: Mayor’s Hotline September 5 to 8

By: Treva

Treva — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:42:02 +0000

Eagle doesn’t do a very good job of keeping the goat heads under control. (We used to call them puncture weeds because of what they did to our bike tires.)

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 10:58:35 +0000

Tam I have to wonder where you look. I live by a canal and its always one long weed patch. Goes for miles. Yes I installed a gate to the canal just so I can spray the weeds along my property.
I have never seen the canal company do anything to prevent the weeds there. And yes I’ve complained many a time the weeds and got no where.

By: Tam

Tam — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 14:54:50 +0000

Ditch and Irrigation Districts have unique jurisdictional discretion. My experience is that most districts will take care of weeds on main drainages, irrigation laterals, but not individual ditches on private property. It’s the old “once the water leaves the headgate” rule. What is as concerning is homeowners in ticky/tacky/box subdivisions who build gates in their back fence, so they can walk directly out to the irrigation ditch running behind their house and dump their yard waste. Grass clippings, weed seeds, it all goes downstream and causes havoc for the next water users on the line.

Developers have much of the blame to bear (again) in the weed matter. They buy up acres of farmland, where weeds were eradicated and kept at bay through careful agricultural work. Then the land sits for two or three or four summers awaiting permits, final plats, etc. In that time weeds take over the entire 40 or 60 acre parcel. No one irrigates them, so not only are the seeds spread to every property for miles, but a fire hazard is created. There are areas in the valley where if a range fire started, it would swallow up hundreds of longstanding ranch homes, barns, and haystacks….all because developers aren’t interested in stewardship….just money.

By: Robert

Robert — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 09:58:04 +0000

The biggest problem we have with weeds is the canal companys. All the water ways through the state always overgrown with weeds. When you call the noxious weed board (Mr Batt) he informs you that the canal companys can’t be made to clean them up. They have grandfather rights that go back 100s of years. Isn’t it time to change some laws. Maybe Mr Batt should be replaced with someone who really care’s. Does any one wonder how he got the job? Could it be because of his Father. Ex govenor of the state. Doesn’t apear he’s doing much of a job, just more excusses. Hummm wonder where he learned that?

By: Naznarreb

Naznarreb — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 12:20:16 +0000

This is hearsay, however, my sister is a horticulture student and informed me that if you have noxious weeds on your property and they spread to a neighbors property, you could be held liable for the cost of eradicating them (provided your neighbor can prove the weeds spread from your lot). In the case of something like thrush skeleton weed, it can take up to five years of applying chemical herbicide before it is gone completely.

By: junkyard dog

junkyard dog — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 13:13:43 +0000

Ah-Ha! So I’m not the only one grousing about those noxious weeds. Bryce Peppard of Nampa is absolutely right that our own City Code department doesn’t enforce noxious weed control and Boiseans have to call over to the Ada County Weed & Gopher in Meridian for help. With the “affordable housing market” getting gobbled up by out-of-state slumlords, we are seeing an increase in yards getting overrun by goatheads, field bindweed, and yellow star thistle. Not only is it a bitch to get rid of, it spreads like wildfire into adjacent yards and is difficult (if not impossible) to control organically.

The Code Department needs to get with the program before some agency decides that aerial spraying or roadside burns will be necessary to contain the spread.