Crook CountyIllegal Dumpsite Gets an Extreme Make-Over!
If you visit Sundance Pond, you will find shady picnic areas, a pleasant nature trail, and birds and wildlife to enjoy. If you continue along the edge of the pond and past the drain, you will find willows and cattails alive with the sound of birds and running water. Until recently, you could also find someone’s discarded junk, bags of yard waste, and other human refuse. However, through the cooperative efforts of the District, the City of Sundance, Crook County Road & Bridge, and the Crook County Fairgrounds, this is no longer the case. Together, we have cleaned up the dumpsite and are working to restore this fragile riparian area and make it once again a place for the community to enjoy.
How did this special place get trashed (literally!)? Although no one has admitted responsibility, people have used the area as a landfill, backing up to the edge of the bank and cleaning out stock trailers or unloading bags of trash! This type of dumping is illegal, but that didn’t stop it from happening. We hope that well placed signs (to be installed in the near future) and the vigilance of local law enforcement will prevent it from happening again.
The dumping activities of the past damaged the area in more than one way. The debris shoved over the edge caused water and soil contamination as well as erosion. The disturbed soil enabled noxious weeds to begin invading the area. Thanks to Crook County Weed & Pest, the thistles and mustard weed stands are no longer thriving.
Although the garbage has been taken to the landfill, as it should have been taken originally, and the weeds are under control, the makeover is not finished. Reseeding the area with native plants and controlling bank erosion are the next steps in the project. Once the area is re-vegetated with willows and other riparian plants, the bank should be stabilized and erosion minimized.
A healthy, well vegetated riparian area has many important ecological functions, including filtration of surface water, enhancement of biodiversity, and many others. Work on the project is ongoing. If you are interested in getting involved or learning more, please contact the District at 283-2501.
Photo: Morgan Ellsbury (Crook Co. Road & Bridge) removes trash from the dumpsite.