Arundo Donax Removal Project – Healdsburg
The Arundo Removal Project is part of a Community Wildfire Prevention Plan for the City of Healdsburg and Sonoma County. The removal of Arundo Donax, (an invasive giant reed) growing along the Russian River, is one of three top priorities because it turns our river from a natural fire break to a bridge for fires to intensify and spread. Arundo is incredibly flammable and burns intensely and, in wind events it can cast embers to rapidly spread a fire. Arundo is also a water hog that takes millions of gallons per acre from the river every year and displaces native vegetation that supports fish and wildlife. The benefits of removing Arundo help the river’s ecosystem and leave more water in the river for downstream communities.
The Healdsburg Arundo Removal Project (Project) site covers approximately 5 miles of the Russian River channel and 201 acres of riparian area in Healdsburg from Diggers Bend at Rio Lindo Academy to the confluence with Dry Creek. This project is in partnership with the State Coastal Conservancy, City of Healdsburg, North Sonoma County and Healdsburg Fire Departments, Fitch Mountain Association, and local COPE groups.
Russian Riverkeeper just received a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy for $989,300 that will fund 70% of the project cost! We are raising matching funds for the remaining 30% per our grant agreement so all donations to the project are tripled by the state funding! If you can donate, please select Arundo Removal from the “Fund Designation” drop down menu on our donate page or put Arundo Removal in the memo line of your check to designate your donation for this project. We appreciate your support for this important work!
If you live in the project area on the banks of Russian River and have Arundo on your property, you can enroll in Arundo removal at no cost to you. Please review and sign the access agreement and you will be in line for removal. At this time, we are about 4-5 months out for working on new enrollee properties so you are aware.
Click here to download the access agreement.
If you would like to receive monthly project updates or have questions, please email arundo@russianriverkeeper.org.
Arundo Removal Project FAQ
Arundo Donax (Giant Reed) is a non-native and invasive plant species that looks like bamboo and was brought to California in the 1800’s by Spaniards. Arundo is a tall perennial grass that forms dense stands on disturbed areas where it has access to water and rapidly displaces native plants causing ecological harm. It grows rapidly up to 25 feet tall with thick rhizome roots. There are no natural controls on its growth and so it has spread unchecked for over a 100 years.
Arundo is major fire hazard. It is extremely flammable and transforms river and stream corridors where it grows from fire breaks to fire hazards. It easily catches fire and rapidly burns with intensive heat and will cast embers and sparks that can quickly spread fire to adjacent areas. In Healdsburg an Arundo fire near the train bridge melted the fire boots of Healdsburg Fire Department staff.
Arundo is a water hog. California Invasive Plant Council research has shown Arundo can remove 3-5 million gallons of water per year, far more than native plants like willows. Removing Arundo keeps more water in our streams which is especially important in drought years.
Arundo is NOT a benefit to wildlife. Arundo chokes out native plants such as willows, cottonwoods and walnuts that provide food and habitat for native insects, birds, mammals and fish. Arundo does not provide habitat for any of our native birds or mammals. Removing arundo is highly beneficial to wildlife, especially birds who lose the most habitat to Arundo.
Arundo increases bank erosion and flooding. Arundo disrupts sediment transport and often forces river currents into streambanks leading to increased erosion. Arundo also slows water which increases sediment deposition that reduces capacity for floodwaters. Arundo is not deep rooted like willows or riparian trees that better hold streambanks together in floods.
Arundo has been identified as a major wildfire threat in Healdsburg’s Community Wildfire Prevention Plan due to its high ignition and spread rates and proximity to Fitch Mountain and the City of Healdsburg.
Russian Riverkeeper is working with Healdsburg Fire Department under Calfire permits to remove Arundo from Rio Lindo Academy near Diggers Bend to half a mile downstream of Highway 101 on five miles of the Russian River. This area comprises 190 private properties and 14 public properties.
Mendocino RCD and Sonoma RCD have removed Arundo in areas upstream of Healdsburg and will continue that work as grant funds are obtained. Those efforts will help prevent Arundo from spreading downstream in future floods.
Arundo removal occurs in two steps, first the mature canes are cut to ground level and then re-growth is treated with an environmentally safe herbicide to prevent re-growth. Cut Arundo canes are chipped to return the carbon to the soil. Chipping prevents the rhizomes along the cane from regrowing. Once Arundo is removed native riparian plants will replace the Arundo and revegetate the riverbanks. In some cases, we will be planting willow stakes to speed up the return of native plants or if we think it is needed to prevent erosion.
You can fill out and mail the Access Agreement that allows us to work on your property. To get signed up, click on this link to find the adobe fill in form https://bit.ly/42KMUtY. It must be filled out by the property owner and if you are a renter, then the property owner must sign the Access Agreement. If your property is sold, then the new owner will need to sign a new agreement form. If you do not wish to participate in the project, that decision is up to you no one will be compelled to participate.
If property owners do not want to participate, they are not required to participate. If people change their minds and decide they’d like help reducing fire danger on their property, we’ll be here to help you.
Russian Riverkeeper will pay for all costs for the project through local donations and grant funding. The full project will cost roughly $1.6 million, and we have obtained a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy for 70% of the cost. We’re working with local donors to raise $400,000 to provide a local match for the grant.
The Coastal Conservancy is a California state agency, established in 1976, to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast. It acts with others to protect and restore, and increase public access to, California’s coast, ocean, coastal watersheds, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future generations of Californians.
Our goal is to work with every willing property owner in the project area to remove Arundo over the next two years. The order that we work on properties is determined by the order of signups, ease of access depending on time of year and availability and size of work crews. Once property owners complete the Access Agreement, we will give you an estimate of when we will work on your property. We will contact you the week before we plan to start work to be sure the dates work for you.
No, the access agreement is very specific and allows only our trained staff and contractors to enter your property only for project purposes of removal, herbicide treatment and follow up documentation. We will contact you before we plan to enter your property so you will know when work will occur.
No, Russian Riverkeeper carries full liability coverage that will cover any problems, worker injuries or property damage that occurs from the work.
The roots of the Arundo will remain in the soil for many seasons, continuing to stabilize the soil. In our Badger Park work area from October last year, the high flows of the river came up and actually deposited a little bit more sediment into the pockets between the Arundo stumps, which is how we hoped It would happen. As native vegetation gets established and the Arundo dies off and decomposes, the deeper roots of willow and cottonwood will be an even better stabilizer of the riverbanks.
As a former reserve firefighter back home, I’ have been on a fire in the Santa Ana Riverbed, and the Arundo was popping off like gunfire, the flames were like jet engines roaring up 40 – 50 feet overhead. It was frightening, and I was glad I was manning the water tender behind the front lines, refilling the engines. I needed all of my PPE coverage, so no bare skin, because those flames were so HOT! The frontline equipment was melting, and the crew had to pull back. So I have seen and felt how Arundo reacts in a fire, and want to help keep people’s properties safe in the case of approaching fire or wind-born embers cross the river, etc. I have information on fire-safe landscaping tactics if you are interested.
