GRANTS

Green/Yampa River
Inundative Biological Control Strategy Project

The Green/Yampa River Inundative Biological Control Strategy Project (IBCS) is funded through a grant received in late 2023 by Dinosaur National Monument (along with Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Canyon National Park), as part of a larger National Park Service Colorado River Invasive Species initiative, using federal Inflation Reduction Act dollars. It is a multi-year project (2024-2030), and funding is primarily for acquiring and dispersing biological control agents for Russian knapweed and leafy spurge in the Green and Yampa river watersheds, on any lands that are managed by a willing partner (including private lands).

The Yampa River Leafy Spurge Project’s track record—for working with public and private partners to distribute leafy spurge biological control in the Yampa River watershed—substantially contributed to the success of the IBCS grant process. The YRLSP is recognized as a primary partner with Dinosaur National Monument for future biological control efforts using IBCS funding. The Friends of the Yampa, through their role as the YRLSP’s fiscal agent, also participate in the “banking” and distribution of IBCS project funding.

So, just what is an "Inundative Biological Control Strategy"? See a detailed discussion on our Biological Control page, HERE.

What is the current status of the IBCS grant?

IBCS grant funds were first made available for use by the YRLSP and its partners during the 2024 biological control field season.

However, in February 2025, further IBCS grant funding was frozen by the federal government. This sudden change in status threatened to impact the biological control activities already planned for the 2025 field season.

In response, in early April 2025, the County Commissioners of Moffat and Routt counties wrote a joint letter to Senators Hickenlooper and Bennet, and Congressmen Neguse and Hurd. Their letter outlined the importance of the Yampa River Leafy Spurge Project's contributions to state-mandated weed control, and summed up with:

"This popular public-private partnership program relies on the use of voluntary participation from willing landowners and deploys volunteers to maximize financial efficiencies. It is precisely the type of program that must continue if we are to meet our obligations under Colorado law to manage leafy spurge. We ask that you help us in our efforts by advocating for continued federal funding through The Green/Yampa River Inundative Biological Control Strategy Project. We stand ready to support you in those advocacy efforts."

To see the full text of the Commissioners' letter, click HERE.

See also "Routt and Moffat county commissioners call for continued federal funding for invasive weed control," published in the Steamboat Pilot & Today, May 1, 2025.

Fortunately, sometime in late May 2025, limited portions of the Inflation Reduction Act funding were at least temporarily unfrozen for grant recipients across the nation. Although it remains unclear what the status of our ICBS grant will be in future years, funds did remain available during the rest of the 2025 field season, and were used for offsetting the costs of collecting, purchasing, and distributing leafy spurge biological control in the Green and Yampa river watersheds.

For a detailed chronological narrative of all of the YRLSP biocontrol collections and releases, including those funded by the ICBS grant in 2024 and 2025, click HERE.