Salt cedar infestation sucks up water

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As parts of Nebraska face water shortages from prolonged drought, salt cedar, an invasive water-hogging shrub, is competing with towns and wildlife for water, a University of Nebraska weeds specialist says.

Salt cedar, also called tamarisk, is infesting the Platte River drainage at an alarming rate, said Bob Wilson with the Panhandle Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff. It robs water from streams and even the water table.

"One acre of infested river bank can use 9 acre feet of water per year," Wilson said. "That equates to 2.9 million gallons of water per year or nearly as much water as the city of Scottsbluff uses in one day."

The evergreen shrub already has infested 1 million acres of river drainage in the western United States, particularly along the Colorado River.

In Nebraska, about 2,300 acres are infested. The largest infestation is at Swanson Reservoir, with more than 2,000 acres of salt cedar. More than 100 acres of Lake McConaughy's floodplain are infested and there are small infestations in some wetlands and along the Republican, Niobrara and Missouri rivers.

In addition to choking out native vegetation, salt from the water scavenger's leaves makes soil salty - hence its name.

"It not only takes out native vegetation because of its deep root system, but it brings salt up to the soil that kills other vegetation, allowing only salt cedar to grow," Wilson said. "The plant doesn't have any natural enemies, and it spreads quickly on its own."

Salt cedar's primary taproot easily grows 15 feet, but in its search for moisture, it can grow down 40 feet. Once the taproot reaches the water table, secondary root branching becomes profuse, said Stevan Knezevic, an integrated weed management specialist at the university's Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord.

Salt cedar reproduces by seeds, roots and stems. It was introduced to the United States from the Middle East in the early 1800s to stabilize river banks, but quickly spread on its own.

"It has spread much faster than we thought it would," Wilson said. "People need to be advised that the best way to stop the weed is to control it before it gets out of control."

Herbicides are recommended for salt cedar control, Wilson said.

Cutting down salt cedar will not control it because it will resprout. The stump must be treated with an herbicide, such as Garlon, that can be painted on the stump, he said.

The federal government lists salt cedar as one of the 10 worst invasive weeds in the country. It hasn't been declared a noxious weed in Nebraska, but may be added soon, Wilson said.