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UTAH LAKE — The State of Utah is spending more than $1 million to take on weeds. It's part of a project that's supposed to reduce wildfire fuels and protect Utah shorelines.
Part of the problem is people drive out to areas with a lot of noxious weeds, and then spread those seeds elsewhere. Climate change is also being blamed for the increased weed population, and more weeds means more fuel for wildfires.
Monday night on Utah Lake, just south of the Lindon Boat Harbor, KSL News met Chris Gainer, who was packing up following a day of kitesurfing.
"Between fishing, wakeboarding and kitesurfing, I'm out here probably three to four times a week," he said.
With that schedule, he's become a little too familiar with the phragmites and other noxious weeds growing near the lake. This year, they're being targeted by the state of Utah.
Leonard Blackham, commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, said not only are the weeds a nuisance, they create more fuel for potential wildfires — something that became a big wake-up call during the Milford Flat Fire in 2007. That fire was Utah's largest ever, covering more than 560 square miles.
Over the last few years, Blackham's department has begun waging a war of sorts against these problem weeds. Monday, workers sprayed for leafy spurge along the Heber Valley Railroad; and a year ago, the shores of Utah Lake got a dose of weed control, with more expected later this summer.
While the effort is expected to help out with the coming fire season, those running the program say it's also designed to make recreation areas more accessible.
If you see large amounts of noxious weeds, you can report them to the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. The agency has even launched a smartphone app called EDDMapS West that you can use to take pictures and upload them.
