A drawing of the
large and small rakes
is given on the follow-
ing page, together with
a bill of materials.

The rakes are of
welded construction,
and the smaller one has
been provided with a
back plate to protect
the operator of the
rake.

In the photograph
of the rake on the pre-
vious page, a wire

screen has been placed on the rake uprights to protect the operator.

IB8


NEW METHOD FOR ANALYZING HYDROCARBON
TYPE AQUATIC WEED KILLERS

The ''Tentative Method of Test for Hydrocarbon Types in liquid
Petroleum Products (Fluorescent Indicator Adsorption (FIA) Method), "
ASTM Designation: D 1319-54T, has been evaluated and adopted as the
method for determining the aromatic content of aromatic solvent water-
weed killers in the Weed Control Laboratory, Division of Engineering
Laboratories in Denver. The procedure is sometimes referred to as a
chromatographic adsorption method of analysis. The three major groups
of hydrocarbons (saturates, olefins, and aromatics) which boil below
600° F. can be separated and determined quantitatively by this method,

The method is used to determine the aromatic content of sam-
ples of waterweed killers and other solvents which may be effective
herbicides, The results will be used in preparation of revised specifi-
cations covering purchase of aromatic solvent waterweed killers and in
determining whether
offered products con-
form to purchase spec-
ifications. The data
will contribute to a
more fundamental
understanding of the
factors governing
the phytotoxicity of
hydrocarbons.

Test Procedure

A small portion
(3/4 ml) of the sample
to be analyzedis intro-
duced into a reservoir
on top of a column of
packed adsorbent (sil-
ica gel), After the
sample is added to the
adsorbent, an appro-
priate desorbing liq-
uid (isopropyl alcohol)
is added to the reser-
voir. Under slight air
pressure the desorbing
liquid forces the hydro-
carbon portion down the
column slowly, during
which passage the
hydrocarbon portion is
fractionated and sepa-
rated into contiguous
zones according to the

5>H-474-i


For further information concerning the weed burners in
use in Region 5, contact the Regional Director, U. S. Bureau of Recla-
mation, Amarillo, Texas. By way of general information, commercial
manufacturers of liquid gas weed burners in the Region 5 area are:

Bazooka Burners, Box 5211, Amarillo, Texas
Snorkel Jet, 4110 N.E. 8th, Amarillo, Texas
Agricultural Equipment Corporation, La Junta, Colorado,

IA14


TRASHRACK RAKE

The debris that collects on the trashrack of the Wellton- Mohawk
Pumping Plant No, 1 of the Gila Project, Arizona, consists largely of
pondweea, as shown in the photograph below. A mechanical rake was
provided for clearing
the debris from the
trashrack; however, in
operation, difficulty was
encountered in using the
rake, due to the type of
debris. It collected on
the trashrack and inter-
wove into a homogeneous
compact mass, forcing
the wheels of the rake to
ride over it. This in
turn lifted the rake away
from the trash bars,

A drawing of the
original trashrack rake
is presented at the end of
this article. The modifi-

~ cation of the rake de-
vised by the project forces is shown in the photograph below.

The modification consisted of a set of rake teeth or plows
mounted just ahead of the wheels. The teeth clear a path through the
debris so that the wheels are permitted to roll on the surface of the rack
as designed, success-
fully removing the en-
twined mass.

Several rakes of
the type installed on
the Gila Project have
been installed on other
Bureau of Reclamation
projects. The type of
debris appears to have
abearing on the success
of the rake in clearing
trashracks, As now
modified, the Gila Proj-
ect is well satisfied with
the rake in handling the

} debris, principally pond-

i weed and moss encoun-

tered in the canal sys-
tem. A view of the rake in operation is shown in the photograph at the
top of the next page.

IIB10
a)


Regional Director, Boise, Idaho

Regional Director, Sacramento, California

Regional Director, Boulder City, Nevada

Regional Director, Salt Lake City, Utah

Regional Director, Amarillo, Texas

Regional Director, Billings, Montana

Regional Director, Denver, Colorado

Assistant Commissioner and Chief Engineer, Denver, Colorado.

Please forward copies of your Operation and Mainte-
nance Equipment and Procedures Releases Nos. 3 and
8 to the following:

Name

Organization

Address



would then throw sufficient seed a greater distance (when needed) than
when both broadcasters were operating. One fan was sufficient to
distribute seed with the seeder mounted on the side of the truck; how-
ever, for larger areas with the seeder mounted on the tail gate the two
fans were used, The
second fan can be re-
moved by loosening
one set screw from the
gear on the fan shait,
shown in the photo-
graph at left,

Except for the
above and keeping
the gears well coated
with a heavy gear grease
to reduce wear, the
project forces found no
need to improve upon
the seeder as furnished,

The seeder cost
approximately $150,
complete with engine
and grass-seeding
attachment, The one

=, ’ first used on the Central
. Valley Project was pur-
chased from the H. C. Shaw Company, Stockton, California, Further in-
formation regarding the seeder, its present cost and its operation may
be obtained from the manufacturer, dealers, or the Bureau of Recla-
mation, To contact the latter, write Regional Director, U. S. Bureau
of Reclamation, Sacramento, California, Attention: Code 2-440,

IMA11


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BROAD ARROW WEED CUTTER

Control of aquatic weeds in irrigation and drainage channels
is one of the major problems confronting irrigation authorities of the
State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, Victoria, Australia.
Chemical control and burning with flame throwers have been tried,
but removal of weeds by manual labor has been common practice,
Dredging with a dragline and bucket has also been used but this pro-
cedure alters the characteristics of the channel and leaves a ridge of
spoil on the banks for disposal. Other mechanical means have been
tried but all tend to alter the shape and depth of channels.

The broad arrow weed cutter, shown below, was developed by
Mr. R. I. Walsh, A.M.I.E.Aust. Information extracted from the offi-
cial supplement to the
Commission's staff maga-
zine ''Spillway", was pub-
lished in "The Common-
wealth Engineer", June
1948. The weed cutter
was considered a con-
siderable improvement
over the then existing
methods used in remov-
ing weeds and appeared
the only implement that
did not damage or alter
the shape of the channelin
operation,

Cutting can be carried out on either up or down streamruns, The
blades have a slicing action as they move forward and will cut any weed.
The cutter sinks just slightly below the bed of the channel and the cut is
generally just under the surface of the silt through the root system of the
weeds, The result of cutting the weeds so low is that many of them will
not grow again.

Using the 10-foot cut-
ter shown above, one trip
up and one down is re-
quired to clear a 16-foot
channel, Removing the
cut weeds from the canal
by hand labor requires
about 12 men. It is esti-
mated that about 4 to 5
miles of channel per day
can be cleaned, In the
photograph at left, a por-
tion of the weeds cut dur-
ing a 20-minute run are

Bil


Cleaning of the canal or lateral while demossing also elimi-
nates an additional pass through the ditch by hand crews at a later
date.

Cost:

On the Salt River Project, maintenance of the canal system is
complicated by the proximity of many growing residential areas,
Limited right-of-way, the presence of overhead power and telephone
lines, and other residential problems made the Gradall ideally suited
for the work. Demossing on the project by the use of the bucket is
done for approximately $68.00 per mile, This is about one-half the
cost of the conventional chaining and discing operation previously used,
which involved catching the moss on grates placed in the waterway
being cleaned and then hand forking the moss from the grates.

eR

IB9


WEED SPRAY HOSE

A spray hose that is oil resistant and that has proved to be
very successful for use on spray equipment, is the B. F. Goodrich
"Weed Spray" hose. Designed for conducting weed-killing solutions
such as DDT, 2-4D, etc., and for low pressure insecticidal and
fungicidal spraying of shrubs, bushes, trees, etc., for the control
of pests and disease, the hose has given good service.

The hose is supplied in 500-foot reels or in specified
lengths. It is of braided construction with high tensile strength
rayon cord. It can be supplied in internal diameters of 3/8- and
1/2-inch, which will have external diameters of 11/16- and 27/32-
inch, respectively. Maximum working pressure is given as 200
pounds, with the weight per foot of the 3/8-inch ID hose being 0.158
and that of the 1/2-inch 0, 237.

The hose has a semi-glossy, black, smooth rubber cover.

B.F. Goodrich Spray Hose

Tubes will not flake or clog spray guns

Paint spray hose Weed spray hose

Recommended uses: Fo Recommended uses: \seal for

Length:
lengths.

Couplings: As speciied by customer.

Paint spray hose specifications
M.

ise Werle preware Weed spray hose specifications
ID) Braid OD pert. tbs

Size
(ID) Braid OD



Short sections of
rail coupled with chain
links are attached to the
end of the side wings to
form a U-shaped crag
behind the frame. The
drag aids in dislodging
moss and silt.

The "A" frame is
pulled by a tractor. It
is attached to the trac-
tor by a 12-foot side
drawbar, shown in the
photographs, A heavy
chain is attached to the
dozer blade of the tractor and the post of the "A" frame, This tends to
keep the "A'' frame in the bottom of the canal.

IIB7


adjustable burner bars, which can be controlled from the operator's
seat and can be maintained in the proper burning position at all times.

Truck Mounted Burners

The butane weed burner shown on the cover of this issue of
the Bulletin and in the photograph below is a ttle more elaborate
than the usual burner of this type in use, The weed burner shown was
constructed ano is owned and operated by the H »0d Petroleum Company,
El Paso, Texas. The owner contracts with the Elephant Butte Irriga-
tion District to burn weecs from ditches on a portion of the Bureau of
Reclamation constructed Rio Grande Project, This arrangement has
been in effect since 1949, The cost of burning with this and similar
rigs has averaged about $17. 00 per mile for one canal bank and $26.00
ner mile where both banks have been burned.

There are differences in the design and construction of booms
and mountings, which reflect the ideas of the several builders, The
booms may be either manually or hydraulically controlled and are in
general 25 to 30 feet in length. They are usually counter-balanced for
ease of manipulation, The manually controlled boom, such as that
shown at the top of the following page, is mounted on a turntable, which
permits operations from one side of the truck to the other from the rear
of the truck bed. The weeds in a small lateral are being burned by the
truck mounted burner constructed in the shops of the Carlsbad Project,
New Mexico, by project personnel, In this type of burning, the truck
travels about 3 miles per hour.

IA14
2


"SEED EASY" BROADCAST SEEDER

The ''Seed Easy" broadcast seeder shown below and manufac-
tured by Garber Power Seeders, Inc., St. Paris, Ohio, has been a big
help in the spoil bank seeding program along canals on the Bureau of
Reclamation's Central Valley Project. Use of the seeder has resulted
in completing the job faster and at less cost. Compared with previous
seeding methods and costs, there was a saving of $600 to $800 in the
broadcasting of 50, 000 pounds of seed,

The seeder performs very efficiently and with the exception of
seeding by helicopter, it is the fastest method used on the project for
seecing large spoil banks and ditch-bank areas, The seeder has been
borrowed on several occasions by other public agencies who also have
found it to be fast and efficient.

First used on the Delta-Mendota Canal, a similar seeder was
purchased later for use on the Friant-Kern Canal also a part of the
Central Valley Project. For seeding slopes the seeder is used on the
left side of the pick-up truck as shown, For seeding larger areas, the
seeder is mounted over the tail gate. It is mounted on a platform de-
signed to fit in the bed of a pick-up truck, so that the broadcaster hangs
over the side or end of the truck bed. The operator on the pickup con-
trols the speed of the seeder engine so that the seed is broadcast 10 to
50 feet onto the spoil banks. On level ground the truck travels 8 to 10
miles per hour,

The photograph above and on the following pages does not show

IA11
1


NEW ZEALAND WEED BUCKET

One of the major problems in the irrigation districts of Vic-
toria, Australia, is the maintenance of the drainage channel systems.
The persistent growth of weeds seriously affects the capacity and effi-
ciency of the drains, and previously, although a great many control
methods have been tried, a reasonably satisfactory means of dealing
with the problem had not been obtained.

The Hon. H. E. Bolte, M.L.A., who was then Minister of
Water Supply in Victoria, was in New Zealand during the early part
of 1950. He was very much impressed with the performance of the
implement shown below, used on weed control work by the North Can-
terbury Catchment Board. As a result of the Minister's inspection,
the Commission immediately placed an order for two of the imple-
ments, which are popularly referred to as "New Zealand Weed Buckets".

The weed buckets purchased, one 8 feet in width and the other
10 feet in width, were evolved by Mr. W, H, Harris, then Chief Engi-
neer of the Catchment Board, and manufactured under patent by Messrs.
Sinclair, Melbourne & Co., Lyttleton, New Zealand. They weretested
under the most severe conditions.

Although the 10-foot bucket has been successfully tested, the
8-foot bucket was considered the best suited to the needs. The 8-foot
bucket, attached to a 3/8-cubic yard dragline, was engaged in cleaning
a drain which had a bed width of up to 10 feet and from 3 to 4 feet indepth.

The weeds dealt with can be classified into three groups in order
ofinfestation, viz., Pondweed and Ribbonweed; medium to light Cum-
bungi with Pondweed; and heavy Cumbungi. Depending on the type of
weed infestation, the lengths of channel which may be cleaned daily are

I1B12
1


REEL

pumP LEGEND
G - 6 Yolt Generator in Trock
rT Battery Nol and 2 recharged by
= Truck Generator.
Battery Ne 3 recharged in Shap (tora)
R, M ~ 6 Volt Automobile Starting Motors (Ford)
WIRING DIAGRAM ‘S - 6 Volt Automobile Solenoid Switch (Ford)

Rotor Confact (2-Rings) for transmission

NOTE: For IS0Ft. Hose -/2 volts are R-

required to operate solenoid switches through reel and spray control.

(Batteries No. 2and3.) —— 300Amp. Battery Conductor Cable.
=-— Wo. Automotive Conductor

For 75 Ft. or less - 6 volts is sufficient
Yo operate solenoid switches and Battery

No.3 could be omitted.

Rotor Contact

Plate
Split /
"At Frame Samp T b------Rees--- >>
cross member ~. / ft _ Brana Seal
~ i Hollow Steet Shat?, Lad
- Wekt Recessed, Z NL: - 2° Pipe Cap
Tap ter fy Std Pipe
Tap the Ya 5td Pe = = = = = _—
Ite RS
7 «Compression Sprin
5 peta { Machined Bearing Face’ "heb Annected! Bronze Wie
: | i +. OD. Bronze Shatt
wer pat (f With tL soir

of Clamp t» Frame’

HOLLOW BRONZE SHAFT DE

IA13

TAIL



DESCHUTES WEIR POOL WEED SPRAYER

Use of the "Deschutes Weir Pool Weed Sprayer", planned and
constructed by Mr. Huron D, Wise, heavy duty mechanic, Deschutes
Project, Oregon, and used on the project, results in considerable sav-
ings in time, more weir pools and isolated areas being sprayed, and
the spraying operation being much better than that usually performed
with less efficient 3-gallon back-pack-type sprayers. The new device
delivers the spray material from the spray wand held in the operator's
hand in response to his pressing a button on the handle of the wand,
The device is shown in the photograph below.

Construction:

The unique feature of this unit is the elimination of a gas
engine for power. The pump and reel are both operated by two 6-volt
starter motors with remote controls on the boom handle which gives
the operator finger tip control when spraying 100 to 200 feet from the
machine,

The unit is built on a metal base which can be placed in any
one-half-ton pickup with room to spare. It has a tank Capacity of 50
gallons. A diagram of the complete unit and a wiring diagram and
details of the hollow bronze shaft are shown on the following pages.

1A13


CHINESE RAKE

A device used for control of weeds in irrigation channels

and drains in Australia, is the Chinese Rake shown below, The rake
was developed by the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, In

the lower photograph
on this page, water
couch grass, distichum,
or Silt grass, which is
a vigorous growing,
creeping perennial, has
completely choked a
drain, and is being re-
moved with the rake,

The photograph on
the following page is a
view of the channel
after it has been cleaned
with the rake,

The photographs
and a drawing of the
rake were supplied by
the State Rivers and
Water Supply Commis-
sion, Victoria, Aus-
tralia. Use of the rake
is described in the
Commission's Tech-
nical Bulletin No, 5,
Weed Control in Irri-
gation Channels and
Drains, June 1953, The
bulletin is a progress
report and summary of
mechanical and chem-
ical experiments made
by the Commission in a study of methods to control various types of
weeds and plant growth causing considerable difficulty in the operation
and maintenance of their irrigation systems,

Construction Details:

The rake is constructed primarily of pipe and steel. Two rakes
of similar design have been used, The larger rake has an overall width
of 6 feet 5-1/2 inches anda height of 3 feet 4 inches. The smaller rake
has an overall width of 4 feet 3 inches anda height of 2 feet 9 inches.

Four horses and three men are required to manipulate the larger
rake and two horses and two men the smaller,

IIB8
1


LIQUID GAS WEED BURNERS

In the past few years, an effective burning program for weed
control has been put in operation on six projects in New Mexico and
Texas, by Region 5 of the Bureau of Reclamation. This was brought
about by the introduction and availability of liquid gas, particularly
butane and propane. Although other methods of grass control on dis-
tribution systems are effective, burning still has a place in the routine
weed control program. This is more applicable since liquid gas burn-
ers, mounted on both trucks and tractors, have been developed.

Several important and beneficial features have been incorpo-
rated into the burners used in Region 5, shown and described on the
following pages, These features include:

(1) Vaporization of liquid at the burner,

(2) Swinging of booms so that the truck may traverse either
bank of a canal, and,

(3) Cables or hydraulic means to raise and lower the burners
so that they can be kept in the most effective burning
position,

Vaporization of the liquid at the burners eliminates special heat
exchangers which are dangerous, expensive, and burdensome. Many
of the burners used on the equipment described were designed and fab-
ricated on the several projects by project personnel. They may be
mounted in clusters on the burner bars, The bars, usually, are
mounted on black standard pipe which in turn telescopes over smaller
pipe attached to the boom, The bars can be moved away from or
pulled closer to the truck and can be raised or lowered hydraulically
or by the use of cables, pullies, and cranks, generally by one man,

The burner heads for many of the burners were constructed
of old boiler flues; however, the most durable are constructed of
seamless steel tubing, A heat generating burner head is desirable
and probably the most efficient; however, is not a necessity, as liquid
gas will burn without producing much smoke, even when released
through an open jet nozzle.

With a swinging boom, the truck can move on either bank of
the canal while burning, the burners can be swung to the rear of the
truck when burning the top of the canal bank, or the boom can be swung
to a forward position when moving from one location to another, Burn-
ing weeds in a canal with an operating road on only one side is made
more convenient and effective and wind conditions can be tolerated, by
proper manipulation of the boom,

In order to burn canals having variable distances from the
road bed to the water line, most of the burners shown have easily

IA14
1


IIB10


)

LAST COPY - DO NOT REMOVE

LAST COPY - DO NOT REMCVE

Department of the Interior

Bureau of Reclamation

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES

RELEASE NO. 16

APRIL-MAY-JUNE 1956

CONTENTS

Weed Control on Irrigation Systems

Release No. 1 is out of print and will not be
reissued.

Releases No. 3, 8, 16, and 37 were on the subject

of Weed Control Equipment and have been Superceded

by Release No. 97, "Equipment For The Prevention,
Control, and Disposal Of Weeds On Irrigation Projects."


the height of the canope and the smoothness of the road, and travels 5 to
6 miles per hour when burning dry weeds in the ditches. A 400-gallon
tank has been mounted across the truck frame and the liquid butane is
piped from the tank to the burners. A high pressure regulator set at
50 pounds pressure is used to control the flow of butane to the burners.

The swinging boom is made of pipe and is mounted on a mast
pipe. The mast pipe consists of two pieces of pipe, actually, with the
smaller top pipe mast fitting inside the larger lower pipe. Roller bearings
at the top and bottom of the mast pipe provide for easy movement. A
support made also of pipe and mounted on the front bumper of the truck
is provided for the boom to rest upon when travelling from one location

to another, or when the rig is not in use.

Further information concerning this particular burning rig can
be obtained by contacting the Project Manager, Rio Grande Project,
211 Federal Building, El Paso, Texas, or the Regional Director, U. s.
Bureau of Reclamation, Amarillo, Texas.

Tractor Mounted Burners

Burners constructed on trucks, half-tracks or trailers, burn to
the side and behind the carrier, while those that are tractor mounted, as
shown below, burn to the side and in front of the transporting vehicle.
The latter are used in Region 5 entirely for searing and burning green
weeds and grasses,

A project shop-con-
structed, tractor-mounted
liquid gas weed burner
used on the Tucumcari
Project, is shown at left.
This burner consumes
about 70 gallons of liquid
gas per hour under con-
tinuous operation.

This machine operates
at about 2 miles per hour
when burning green weeds.
Intense heat from the
burning of dry weeds in
front of the tractor and
butane tank makes this
machine impractical for winter cleanup. The boom of the burner on this
rig is raised and lowered hydraulically and rotated with a mechanical
screw device.

Another tractor mounted liquid gas weed burner is that shown
at the top of the following page. This burner is used on the Fort Sumner
Project, also in New Mexico. ‘This burner also was constructedby project
personnel in the project shops. It is completely hydraulically operated,

IA14
4


Another burner that is very universal in operation, easily ad-
justable to meet unusual conditions and very mobile, is that shown be-
low, This rig also was constructed by project personnel in the shops

of the Tucumcari Project, New Mexico, It is completely hydraulically
operated,

Hydraulic mechanism from an old pull grader was used for the
controls on this machine. The operator sitting on the truck bed turns

with the boom, which also is controlled hydraulically in its horizontal
and vertical movement,

The burner consumes about 70 gallons of liquid propane fuel
per hour under continuous operation, The truck ordinarily travels 1 to
3 miles per hour in the burning of green weeds and grasses, varying with

IA14


KERR GRASS DRILL

The Kerr Grass Drill shown below is used in the Bureau of
Reclamation's Region 5, New Mexico and Texas, for seeding grasses
along canals and on reservoir areas, The photograph is a general
view of the drill in operation seeding grasses on the McMillan Reser-
voir area, on the Carlsbad Project in New Mexico,

Construction Details:

This particular drill has separate seed containers for each
drill furrow, which is of advantage when using the seeder on a steep
slope. Also separate containers are provided on the seeder for the
large, fluffy seed (Western wheat grass, grama, etc.) and the small
hard seed (Bermuda, Love grass, etc.). Regulators are installed
on the seven discs to regulate depth of seeding, and a conventional
car transmission is incorporated into the construction of the drill to
facilitate changing seeding rates.

The drill shown was purchased from the Kerr Manufacturing
Co., Geary, Oklahoma, for approximately $650. For further infor-
mation write the manufacturer or the Regional Director, U. S. Bureau
of Reclamation, Amarillo, Texas,

IIA10


in the order of 1,800, 1,300, and 800 feet respectively, or approxi-
mately 7, 5, and 3 times the lengths normally cleaned at the same
daily cost by the excavator using a standard bucket,

The weed bucket,
shown in use in the photo-
graph at left, has an ad-
vantage over the.standard
bucket also in that it
removes, roots and all,
without enlarging or
upsetting the designed
bed width of the drain,

As with the standard
bucket, however, a cer-
tain amount of water is
necessary for its effec-
tive working,

Others who have
inspected the bucket under working conditions were also impressed by
its performance, and have requisitioned similar equipment for use in
other irrigation districts.

Construction Details:

Manufactured under patent, the 8-foot bucket is 18 inches high
and 21 inches deep. Its weight is approximately 1, 060 pounds and is
used successfully on a 3/8-cubic yard dragline, The bucket consists of
a cutting blade on the base, with reversible edges, one edge being
straight and the other curved from the base to the top and is latticed
to enable silt and water to drop through.

The 10-foot bucket, which is the one shown in the photographs,
is similar in design, but is 30 inches high and 2 feet deep. It weighs
1, 740 pounds and is too heavy for use on a 3/8-cubic yard dragline,
but is very suitable for a 1/2-cubic yard machine, The 10-foot bucket,
as shown in the above photograph, was used for cleaning approximately
1, 300 feet of cattail infested drainage channel in a day, with the bucket
attached to a 1/2-cubic yard dragline.

*

IIB12


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DEMOSSING BUCKET FOR GRADALL EXCAVATOR

A bucket was fabricated in the shops of the Salt River Valley
Water Users Association in Phoenix, Arizona, for use with the Asso-
ciation's fleet of Gradall excavators in expediting and facilitating the
removal of moss from the canals and laterals of the irrigation system.

Construction details:

The bucket is shaped much like the 60-inch ditch cleaning
bucket supplied by the manufacturer. However, the Salt River bucket
is 72 inches wide, has a serrated cutting edge, and the bucket plate has
been perforated,
as it is nor-
mally usedunder
water,

The unit is
shown in opera-
tion in the photo-
graph at left. A
large amount of
moss and silt
can be removed
with each pass of
the bucket, demos-
sing about one mile
of ditch per day.

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hydrocarbon is represented by such materials as ordinary gasoline,
kerosene, and other straight-chain and branched-chain saturated
hydrocarbons,

Sample No. 4 is a branched-chain unsaturated hydrocarbon
(olefin), This compound caused some injury to aquatic weeds but not
enough to be considered an effective waterweed killer.

Sample Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8, which contain a high percentage
of aromatics, are the most effective for controlling aquatic weeds.
Sample No. 6 is more effective than No. 5 at least in part because of
the higher aromatic content of No. 6. Sample Nos. 7 and 8 are more
effective than Sample Nos. 5 and 6 and are among the best of the aro-
matic hydrocarbon solvents for control of submersed aquatic weeds,
Sample No, 8 is a pure grade of xylene and Sample No. 7, based on its
distillation range, probably contains a high percent of xylene.

The above results demonstrate the importance of knowing the
percentage of the different types of hydrocarbons represented in an
aquatic weed killer. The percent of aromatics, along with the distilla-
tion range, is a very useful factor in determining those solvents that
are likely to be effective waterweed killers,

IVB1

GPO 840391



being forked from the channel where they have collected against abridge.
In channels from which the weeds have been cut with the broad-arrow
cutter, it has been necessary to recut the weeds only once every six
weeks as compared with once every two weeks when cut by hand methods,

In the photograph at
left, a four horse team,
two on either bank, is
pulling the 10-foot weed
cutter along a channel.
Note the turbulence on
the left bank following in
the wake of the cutter
working on that side.

The implement as
the name implies is
shaped like an arrow
and is constructed in three parts:- the arrow-head or 5-foot cutter, the
training or 10-foot cutter andthe rudder. A pulling attachment is fixed
to the arrow-head for hitching the tow rope.

Flush welded construction is adopted for the arrow-head or
5-foot cutter, 4- by 1/2-inch flat mild steel being used. This forms a
5-foot equilateral triangle, with 4-inch bearing surface on the three
sides. A triangular hardened-steel nose piece is welded to the apex and
is bevelled 1 inch to a knife edge, Also, flush welded to the main frame
is a 4- by 1/2-inch cross member to take the rudder bracket and pulling
attachment.

In the center of the base a rudder guide is welded. This is

IIB11
2


INTRODUCTION

This is Release No. 16 of the Operation and Maintenance
Equipment and Procedures Bulletin, which is published Quarterly.
The information in thisBulletinis assembled for the most part from
suggestions by people engaged in the irrigation of our western lands.
The Bulletin is printed in the Commissioner's Office, Denver, Colo-
rado, by the Division of Irrigation Operations and is circulated for
the benefit of Irrigation operation and maintenance people, with its
principal purpose being to serve as a medium of exchange of operat-
ing and maintenance information. Reference to a trade name does
not constitute an endorsement of a particular product and omission
of any commercially available item does not imply discrimination
against any manufacturer. It is hoped that the labor saving devices
or less costly equipment developed by the resourceful water users
will be a step toward commercial development of equipment for use
on irrigation projects in continued effort to reduce costs and increase
operating efficiency.

This issue of the Bulletin is being devoted entirely to the sub-
ject of weed control. Two previous issues of the Bulletin also were
devoted to this subject: Release No. 3, issued in 1953 and Release No.
8, issued in 1954. This issue differs somewhat from the previous
issues which were devoted primarily to equipment for combating un-
desirable weeds, in that several requests have been received and
suggestions made that the Bulletin provide some up-to-date informa-
tion concerning the types of chemicals and solvents best suited for the
control of certain types of weeds and grasses. Such an article appears
on page IVB1 of this issue, and is intended as an aid in detecting the
limits of different types of hydro-carbons used in aquatic-weed killers.

You will note that this issue of the Bulletin has been punched
for binding in a standard 3-ring binder. The subject matter also has
been divided into sections to correspond with the subject matter of the
previous issues, Therefore, the pages of this issue can be incorpo-
rated with those of the previous issues.

You also will note that a new index is provided which will re-
place and bring up to date all information published on the subject in
this and previous issues.

A much greater distribution of Bulletins devoted to this sub-
ject is necessary because of the interest shown in weedcontrol. For
this reason, some information that has appeared in previous Bulletins
devoted to general O&M equipment are being repeated.

For the benefit of those who did not receive the earlier re-
leases on weed control, a few copies are available. If you are inter-
ested in receiving the earlier releases, please fill in the blank on the
next page and forward it to the Bureau of Reclamation office located
nearest you as follows:



COLUMBIA BASIN TRASHRACK

The trashrack shown in the photograph below is of the type
presently being installed on laterals in the West Canal area of the
Columbia Basin Project, Washington. The flat slope of the rack aids
in the removal of weeds and the landing mat deck provides good foot-
ing. The trashrack shown was installed in a lateral having a capac-
ity of 400 cfs,

Construction:

Surplus rails are used for the Supporting cross members and
pipe for the rack varies from 3/4- to 1-1/4-inch heavy duty, depend-
ing on the length of span. The rack shown was constructed of 1-1/4-
inch pipe with the longest pipe length being about 20 feet.

The pipe is spaced 8-inch center to center and placed ona
slope no steeper than 4:1, Upper ends of the pipes are loosely at-
tached to the rail by large spikes which pass through holes in the ends
of the pipes and through the web of the rail. The foundation for the
rail cross member can be of concrete or serviceable timber. The

IB8
1


ORCHARD MESA WEED CUTTER

The weed cutter shown in the photograph below was built in
the shops of the Orchard Mesa Irrigation District, Orchard Mesa
Division of the Grand Valley Project, Colorado, Used to control water
weeds and remove silt deposits in the District's canals, it is reported
to be very effective in accomplishing the job for which designed and can
clean approximately 52 miles of canal ina week, The device is only
operated when there is water in the canal; thus the water carries the
dislodged material to the end of the canal where it can be removed,

Construction Details:
EO ON elas:

The point of the "'A'' frame is constructed from grader blades
which are about 6 inches high and 2 feet long, forming a "V"' and rein-
forced with iron braces anda post. The side wings of the frame also
are constructed from grader blades and are about 4 inches high and 11
feet long with the end of the wings having an upsweep of approximately
2 feet. They are attached to the post by heavy iron hinges.

The cross bar is constructed from two pieces of 2-inch pipe,
2-1/2 feet long, each being attached to the side wings, Inside the 2-
inch pipe is a 6-foot length of 1-1/2-inch pipe, all three sections of pipe
having vertical 1/4-inch holes drilled through them. The pipe sections
are secured with steel pins, The pins can be removed, allowing the
side wings to be adjusted to the desired width,

IIB7
1


Water-propelled Scraper. ..........-.

Channel Groover . eee
Hand Water-weed Cutter for Small Laterals .
Boom-mounted Disc... ......2.4.

Orchard Mesa Weed Cutter. .......
Chinese Rake . . . oe .
Demossing Bucket for Gradall “Excavator | wee
Trashrack Rake... . er?
Broad Arrow Weed Cutter ry
New Zealand Weed Bucket ..........--.

PREVENTATIVE WEED CONTROL:

Weed-seed Screens, Cattle Guards, Grass Seeders, etc.:

Cattle Guards. 2... ee eee
Seed Scarifiers ...........
Chain Drag . . . .-
"Home-made" Grass- “Legume ‘Seeder oe
Seed Scarifier. ............
Ditch Bank Seeding .... .
Canal Bank Reshaper and Grass ‘Seeder
Disposal of Waste Oils. ........
Power Mounted WeedCutter ..........
Kerr Grass Drill we wee ee eee
"Seed-Easy" Broadcast Seeder». 11 1112

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS RELATING TO WEED CONTROL:

Application Problems, Size of Sprayers, etc.:
Method of Determining Spray Droplet Patterns . .
Slide Rules for Computing Weed Problems . . . .
Short Cuts to Weed-killing Calculations . .
Output of Spray Rigs for 2, 4-D Ditchbank Spraying

Method for Testing and Comparing Brodjet Sprayers,

Turbidimeter for Estimating Concentration of
Beneclor 3-C . 1... 1. ee ee ee eee
Weed Spraying Report Forms... oe

Puncture-proof Tubes on Weed Mowers Reduce O&M

Costs... a
WeedSprayHose - 1.2 2 2 222223002

Chemicals for Some Weeds and Grasses:

New Method for Analyzing Hydrocarbon Type
Aquatic Weed Killers. .......

ii

Page

*IIB3
*IIB4
*IIBS
**T TBE
IIB?
IIB8
IIB9
IIB10
IIB11
IIB12

*ITIA1
*IIIA2
**TTIA3
**TITA4
**TITAS
**TITAG
**TTIAT
**TTIA8
** TITAS
TIIA10
IIIA11

*IVAL
*IVA2
*IVA3
*IVA4
*IVAS

*IVA6
**IVAT

**IVAB
IVA9

IVB1



acsorbability of the
components, The low-
est zone contains the
saturates, the middle
zone the olefins, and
the top zone the aro-
matic hydrocarbons.
After the top zone
has progressed far
enough into the ana-
lyzer section, the
boundary of each zone,
which has a distinct
color under ultra-
violet light caused

by the fluorescent
indicator dyes added
to the sample, is
marked, The length
of each zone is meas-
ured and used to cal-
culate the percentage
by volume of each of
the groups of hydro-
carbons present; the
length of each zone is
proportional to the per-
centage of the hydro-
carbon groups.

z
5
5

To illustrate the
importance of this test
in evaluating the herbi-

~cidal properties of
solvents, results on several samples of hydrocarbons are listedas follows:

Sample Hydrocarbon types (percent by volume)
No, Saturates Olefins Aromatics
ui 99.7 0.3 0.0
2 86.3 13.7 0.0
3 93.4 0.0 6.6
4 0.0 99.3 0.7
5 4.8 L7...1! 78.1
6 6.4 8.0 84.9
ti 0.0 4.3 95.7
8 0.3 0.7 99.0

Sample Nos, 1, 2, and 3, which contain a high percent of satu-
rates, are found to be ineffective for aquatic weed control. This type of

IVB1
2


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IIB10



CONTENTS

(It is suggested that this table of contents replace that given
in Release No. 3 and Release No. 8, of the Operation and Mainte-
nance Equipment and Procedures Bulletins issued in March-April 1953
and April, May and June 1954. Pages indicated by (*) will be found in
Release No. 3 and those indicated by (**) in Release No. 8.)

Page
DITCHBANK WEED CONTROL:
Application of Chemicals, Burning, Mowing, etc.:
Power Weed Sprayer. . . . cee ee ee ee *IAL
Truck-mounted Weed Sprayer. ee ee eee *IA2
Hydraulic Spray Boom... ........20868 *IA3
Jeep-mounted Sprayer... . ary *TA4
Truck-mounted Weed Sprayer-burner cee ee *IA5
Amphibious Spray-burner ... ee ee *IA6
Trailer-mounted Weed Sprayer-burner. eee eee *IAT
Portable Sprayer .......-..2.2.2024 . *IA8
Propane Hand Sprayer... ry *IAQ
Compressed-air Weed Sprayer Se ee ee *IA10
Belle Fourche Weed Sprayer .........-4-. *IAI1
Tucumcari Spray Boom . . we ee **IA12
Deschutes Weir Pool Weed Sprayer eee ee ee 1A13
LiquidGas Burners . . . . a ar IA14
Trapping or Removing Weeds and Debris:
Wire Weed Trap ... 1... 1 ee ee eee ee *IBI
Weed Trap... ee ee ee ee we ee *IB2
Mechanical Weed Fork . oe ee eee *IB3
Scraper for Cleaning Weeds and ‘se diment
from Ditches .. a es *IB4
Moss Fork and Traps re ry **IBS

Boom to Deflect Weeds into Wasteway . : ee **IB6
Off-season Protection of Underground Works wee **IBT
Columbia Basin Trashrack. .........24.2- IB8

CHANNEL WEED CONTROL:

Application of Chemicals:
Aromatic Solvent Mixer , , se ee
Pump and Engine for Introducing Aromatic
Solvent...
Copper Sulphate Treatment for Algae - “Madera
Canal... . . eee ee ee ee ee ee eee) ORRIIAS

*IA1

eee *IIA2

Chaining, Discing, Cutting of Water Weeds:
Chaining Cart. 2... ee tt te *]IB1
Side-arm Boom andDrag. ............ *IIB2



the attachment for handling small seeds, but such an attachment is
furnished with the seeder, By using the grass seeding attachment,
both large and small seeds or two different kinds of seeds can be
planted at the same time without mixing prior to seeding.

The seeder has a built-in metering device so that the ad-
justed density of the broadcast seed is uniform, whether the fans
are throwing seed 10 feet or 40 feet.

Construction Details:

The seeder used on the canal banks of the Central Valley
Project was the Garber ''Seed Easy", Model GM. A platform, large
enough to fill the entire
pickup truck bed, was
secured to the bed, The
platform should be suf-
ficiently high to permit
the seecer to rest on the
platform and on the side
or tail gate of the truck
bed, The seeder was
attached to the platform
by two bolts on the back
side and two clamps,
which are furnished
with the machine,

Some modifications
were made to the seeder
on the project, which
improved its operation
and the results obtained.
These modifications
were:

(a) The addition of a hand throttle to control the speed of
the fans, rather than use of the engine governor for this purpose,

(b) The seed reflector behind one fan was extended approxi-
mately 8 inches to the outside so that all the seed cleared the truck
bed,

(c) Bushings were placed behind the gears operating the fans
so that the gears had a closer fit and ran smoother at high speeds,

(d) The engine pulley was replaced with a smaller one, A
1-1/2-inch pulley was found best.

It was discovered that by closing one aperture and discon-
necting the broadcaster from the same side, the opposite broadcaster

WIA11
2


the center guide for the 10-foot cutter and rear guide for the 5-foot cut-
ter. In addition, on this member are welded the female components of
the butt hinges for attaching the trailing cutter.

Cutting blades 5 feet in length and manufactured from 5-1/4-
by 1/16-inch saw steel are bevelled to a knife edge and sharpened, The
blades are attached to the frame by a cover piece of 3- by 1/4-inch
mild steel bolted through with 3/8-inch counter-sunk bolts, spaced at
16-inch centers, The cutting edge of the blades protrudes 1-1/2 inches
over the base.

Formed on a base of 4- by 3/4-inch mild steel, the trailing or
10-foot cutter has its four members flush welded at the corners. The
front member carries the male components of the butt hinges and the
rear member of the rear rudder guide for the 10-foot cut. Blades sim-
ilar to those on the arrow-head are attached in the same manner,

A pulling attachment, profiled from 1/2-inch mild steel plate,
is welded to the main frame and cross member of the arrow-head. This
is "L'' shaped, the vertical leg having three 1-inch holes for the adjust-
ment of the shackle to allow for the varying angle of pull. To this
shackle is attached a single wire rope, 4 feet 6 inches long with a ring
on the outer end for connecting the towing ropes.

Design of the rudder follows modern timber practice. The ma-
terial used in Australia was laminated hardwood, heavy red gum being
used for the pilot model. Two lengths of rudder are required: - 12 feet
for the 5-foot cut and 16 feet for the 10-foot cut; therefore, the lamina-
tions are of varying lengths. On one side there is a 12-foot length and
a 4-foot length and on the other side a 9-foot 6-inch and a 6-foot 6-
inch length. When the 12-foot rudcer is required the 9-foct 6-inch and
the 4-foot laminations are removed anc a 5-foot 6-inch filling piece is
fitted. Each lamination is 2 inches in thickness and 9 inches in width,
making the full section 9 inches by 4 inches. However, the front end
is reduced to 6 inches back to the center guide and cut away to 7 inches
at the rear guide to allow for a slight vertical movement so as not to
disturb the horizontal alignment of the cutter, the front end being
pivoted. The laminations are bolted together with l-inch bolts; bolt
heads and nuts are recessed making the rudder sides flush so that there
is nothing to catch in the weeds to cause undue drag.

Formed from 4- by 1/2-inch mild steel, the front bracket and
the center guide are of ''U'' shape, with the rear guide in two '"L" shaped
parts, a bolt being fitted across the top to allow for withdrawing the
rudder for transportation,

The implement can be broken down into sections light enough
for two men to handle and can be easily transported. The longest length
is the 12-foot section of the rudder and the greatest width, the arrow-
head cutter, approximately 5 feet.

eR Rk

TIB11
3


In operation on a
project lateral, the
burner head works to
the side and front of the
tractor, which makesit
easily visible to the
tractor operator. Like
the previous tractor-
mounted burner usedon
the Tucumcari Project,
care is used in burning
because of the proximity
of the tractor and the
butane tank,

Cost of Operation

Cost of operation varies from project to project and depends
on the amount of liquid gas consumed per hour of operation and the
number of burnings required to Suppress the vegetation. Ordinarily,
liquid gas weed burners operate on a tank pressure of about 100 p. S..1..,
and each burner head will consume 8 to 12 gallons of liquid gas per
hour, The efficiency of liquid gas burners is considered very high as
little smoke is evident.

On ditches heavily infested with weeds and grasses, two burn-
ings are ordinarily recommended, The first burning being accomplished
with the equipment moving at a rate of about 3 m.p.h, This searing
results in an effective top kill even though there is little immediate
change in plant appearance. The second burning, made about a week to
10 days later, consumes the old dead tops and retards any regrowth of
new plants. By continuously burning and reburning when the green
plants reach a height of 8 to 10 inches, weedy grasses and undesirable
vegetation on the inside slopes of ditches have been successfully con-
trolled,

A weed burning program has been employed on a part of the
Rio Grande Project, Texas-New Mexico, for several years, In 1949 and
1950 five to six burnings were necessary to keep the Johnson grass sup-
pressed to the extent it did not retard the flow of the water in the
canals and laterals, Following the same procedure for Johnson grass
control during the years, only four burnings were necessary in 1954,
and it was indicated that only three burnings would be required in
1955,

In 1954, the average cost for burning green weeds on the in-
side of small ditches on the Carlsbad Project, averaged $8.78 per mile
per burning, and the cost of burning 35 miles of small ditches on the
Balmorhea Project, Texas, averaged $7.80 per mile of burning.

IA14
5


platform required in large laterals, as shown in the photograph, has
a deck constructed from surplus landing mat supported by a pipe frame-
work,

In many cases the complete unit is fabricated in the project
shop and is rigidly constructed, using pipe or heavy strap around the
outside perimeter of the rack, A fence enclosure is constructed
adjacent to large installations for deposit and burning of weeds col-
lected,

3K OK KK

IB8