| By Kylea McMurray Moapa Valley Progress Submitted July 9, 2008
The Muddy River Regional Environmental Impact Alleviation Committee (MRREIAC) is hard at work again clearing the banks of the Muddy River. The group, headed by Ann Schreiber, works hard to clear trees and bushes from the river banks that take precious water resources from river system. Schreiber started working with MRREIAC in 1994, and over the last several years has created an efficient system for ridding the river banks of a non-native tree called Tamarisk, commonly known as Salt Cedar. |
 Nevada Department of Forestry workers clear Tamarisk plants from the banks of the Muddy River in Moapa. The work has been contracted by the Muddy River Regional Environmental Impact Alleviation Committee led by Moapa resident Ann Schreiber. |
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“Tamarisk can suck up to three hundred gallons of water out of the river each day,” said Schreiber. “So it’s really important to clear those trees out of the river bank.”
Clearing the trees is no small task. Schreiber contracts crews to cut away the huge plants, which have clearly taken over most of the land around the river. These crews have to cut their way down to the roots of the plants. Then Schreiber paints a biodegradable poison on the stumps to kill the plant. The stump is then left in the ground to maintain bank stability. |
 Ann Schreiber and Nevada Division of Forestry Officer Kaliko Johansen discuss the next plot of land to be stripped of Tamarisk plants. |
Schreiber has found over the years that her best working crews come from the prison in Indian Springs. Crews of workers come out with an officer from the Nevada Division of Forestry to chop away the trees.
“These boys are hard workers, and I haven’t found anyone more efficient,” Schreiber said. “The amount they can do in one day is unreal.” Over the last few years MRREIAC has cleared nearly 200 acres of land. In place of the noxious Tamarisk the group plants new native species like Willow and Mesquite. “These native plants are beautiful, they thrive and they don’t suck up all the water like the Tamarisk,” said Schreiber. Schreiber stated that several NDOW studies have shown that the areas that have been cleared of Tamarisk by MRREIAC have developed a richer native wildlife. |
| MRREIAC is gets funding from grants of federal, state, county and private funds. “It’s been tough at times in the past to get enough funds to do this project,” said Schreiber. “It costs about $900 a day to clear those trees out, and that’s about as cheap as you can get it. But more people and organizations have been helping since they’ve been able to see the success we’ve had. I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.” |
