Targeted actions will support salmon, trout on Vancouver Island

Aug 22, 2023

As extreme drought conditions continue to adversely affect river levels on Vancouver Island, a fish-population protection order will protect salmon and trout in the Tsolum River, temporarily restricting water use for industry and forage crops.

The Tsolum River has seen persistent low stream flows that are threatening the survival of salmon and trout. The fish-population protection order will help restore water flow levels and protect these fish species.

Effective Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, approximately 45 surface and groundwater licence holders in the Tsolum River watershed must stop using water for forage crops, which include grass for hay, alfalfa and forage corn. Water use for industrial purposes, as outlined in the protection order, must also cease.

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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.