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The mandatory enforcement of the Province of Alberta Weed Control Act is performed by two government of Alberta professionally certified, seasonally employed Weed Inspectors, Director of Agricultural Services, Supervisor of Agricultural Services, and Agricultural Foreman..  The main function of the Inspectors is to eliminate the spread of restricted weeds and reduce the spread of noxious weeds.

As a service to our residents, Leduc County maintains a rotational herbicide spray program for roadside weed control.  All County roads receive a herbicide application once every three years (i.e. 1^st year all even numbered Range Roads; 2^nd year all odd numbered Range Roads; 3^rd year all Township Roads).  The County advertises the intent of spraying including the roads to be blanketed and the potential areas for spot treatment application. The advertisement is placed in the local papers prior to the spraying season. 

Leduc County performs weed control measures (i.e.: spraying, mowing, handpicking) on approximately 1600 miles of local road ditch, 184 miles of County main road ditch, five active gravel pits, seven solid waste transfer sites, and four lagoons.  Further, approximately 4000 acres of Park Reserves and ditches along paved roads are also mowed each year.

Why we spray:

Leduc County has a legislative requirement, as do all property owners in the Province of Alberta, under the "Weed Control Act" to control noxious weeds and eliminate restricted weeds on their property.

Efficient weed control, mowing is required more often and at a greater cost.

Reduces the spread of weeds to agricultural lands thus restricting contamination of farm land, competition to crops and reducing the restriction of certain crops due to weeds.

Reduces the spread and introduction of disease such as Blackleg of Canola.  (Saskatchewan lost $10,000,000 worth of canola crop in 1993 or 1994)

Reduction in wildlife attracted along side roads (brush and sweet clover control) thus improving safety to commuter traffic.

Reduces snow trap along roads, providing increased safety to public users and reducing costs of snow removal.

Spray Program

Leduc County maintains a roadside spraying program for the control of noxious weeds, brush, and other targeted species along the roadside ditches.  Any serious infestations may require spraying of municipal right-of-ways (roadsides) within Leduc County .  This program commences by the beginning of June each year.

Herbicides used are determined by weather conditions, targeted weeds, soil type and surrounding vegetation.  In certain cases, mechanical control and/or handpicking may also be used.

No Spray Program

Leduc County residents who do not wish to have roadside spraying performed adjacent to their property may enter into an agreement with Leduc County to undertake the duty to maintain the County right-of-way (ditch) area free from all noxious or restricted weeds, and brush. 

Persons who wish to enter into a No Spray Agreement with Leduc County must contact the Leduc County Agricultural Services Department to complete the No Spray Policy Agreement prior to May 15th of that year.

All previous registrants of the No Spray Agreement must contact the Leduc County Agricultural Services Department each year with their intentions regarding continued participation with the service program, as is required by the Agreement.

Weeds in Leduc County

The main noxious weeds that affect Leduc County are: Scentless Chamomile, Canada Thistle, Perennial Sow Thistle, Common Tansy, Ox Eye Daisy, Toadflax, Leafy Spurge, Orange Hawkweed, and unwanted brush. 

Herbicide Facts

Our present herbicide storage, filling and application procedures have been reviewed and approved by Alberta Protection, Pesticide Branch.  The products are selected with the safety of the applicator, any bystanders, environment and wildlife in mind.  The selection is also based on targeted weeds; product effectiveness, application area; weather conditions.

To explain the potential toxicity of the products we use, I offer the following information on the LD 50 of the primary products that we have chosen for use:

LD 50 is the Dose as expressed in milligrams per kilogram of body weight that is lethal to 50% of a group of test animals (usually rats).  Therefore, the higher the LD 50, the less toxic, the lower the LD 50, the more toxic.

For comparison purposes; common table salt has an oral LD 50 of 1000 mg/kg and the commonly used agriculture, commercial and industrial product Round Up has an oral LD 50 of 4,320 mg/kg.

Tordon 22K (Picloram)– Oral LD 50 is 10,330 mg/kg

Tordon 101 (Picloram + 2,4-D Industrial)– Oral LD 50 is 2,598 mg/kg

Milestone (Aminopyralid) - Oral LD 50 is greater than 5000 mg/kg

Transline (Clopyralid)– Oral LD 50 is greater than 5,000 mg/kg

Escort (Metsulfuron methyl)- Oral LD 50 is greater than 5,000 mg/kg

2,4-D (LV Ester Industrial)-Oral LD 50 is 1380 mg/kg

Garlon 4 (Tricloplyr)-Oral LD 50 is 729 mg/kg alone, formulated product is 2,460 mg/kg