Missouri River Watershed Coalition

Collaborators/Partners

CIPM and the Missouri River Watershed Coalition (a coalition of concerned parties from six, headwaters states: Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming and led by their state weed coordinators).

Project Summary

The Missouri River Watershed Coalition (MWRC) coordinates its efforts with the state departments of agriculture, American Indian sovereign nations, weed districts, county weed boards, and other county, state, and federal agencies concerned with the spread of invasive species throughout watersheds that cross jurisdictional boundaries. An overall goal of MWRC is to maintain productive, healthy, stable, and biodiverse riparian ecosystems that are able to provide quality water, habitat, recreation/tourism, and power to meet the needs of the six states.

Specific goals of the MRWC:

• Reduce the introduction and spread of invasive riparian plants in the northern headwaters region.
• Increase regional coordination and communication to reduce impact of invasive riparian plants to soil, water, and wildlife resources.
• Maximize funding efficiency for public education, control, research, and reclamation projects on riparian corridors.
• Team universities, government, businesses, and conservation groups in a public-private partnership.
• Provide other support necessary to combat saltcedar and other invasive species within the six-state area.
• Support funding for weed control.
• Encourage education and information sharing and training.
• Create a group and a mechanism to apply for grants.

In 2008, CIPM was asked to provide formal program coordination for the Coalition. Components of that program coordination include: formalizing the documentation, structure and evaluation of the group; enhancing communications amongst Coalition members throughout the region; organizing a coordinated, watershed mapping effort; developing science-based educational and outreach products; and developing a watershed-level, early detection-rapid response (EDRR) program for invasive plant species.

CIPM is working with MRWC to coordinate an EDRR program for riparian invasive plant species. We are currently evaluating what each state individually does for EDRR and considering methods for combining their systems into one that serves the Missouri River watershed. As part of this process, we will evaluate several different invasive plant databases and assess the feasibility of using such a database for a coordinated EDRR effort. After the evaluation process, we will work with the Coalition to coordinate the development of such a database. It is anticipated the database will allow information on newly discovered populations of invasive plants to be uploaded, and that information will then be automatically disseminated to concerned parties who can then assess the populations and implement a rapid response.
The CIPM-MWRC provides an ideal model for other states to use for regional, watershed-level coordination of invasive species management and the pooling limited state resources.

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