Global positioning systems (GPS) technology, developed by the Department of Defense, enable accurate documentation of Cartesian coordinates anywhere on the earth's surface. Surveying, mapping, positioning, and subsequent management of weed infestations can be expedited with this technology. Positions and boundaries of infestation may be located with 10-m or better accuracy while the GPS receiver is continuously moving, and with 2-m or better accuracy with brief stops for repeated sampling. GPS data agreed closely with U.S. Geological Survey data. Coordinates for a weed infestation may be relocated for treatment, evaluation or other purposes. Basic geographic information systems (GIS) map features from Digital Line Graph (DLG), Topologically Integrated Encoding and Reference Systems (TIGER) and other sources of information may be used to fully integrate delimiting survey results from GPS readings in order to develop weed management plans.

The Chemical Movement through Layered Soils (CMLS) model was modified and combined with the USDA-SCS State Soil Geographic Data Base (STATSGO) and Montana Agricultural Potentials System (MAPS) digital databases to assess the likelihood of groundwater contamination from selected herbicides in Teton County, MT. The STATSGO and MAPS databases were overlaid to produce polygons with unique soil and climate characteristics and attribute tables containing only those data needed by the CMLS model. The Weather Generator (WGEN) computer simulation model was modified and used to generate daily precipitation and evapotranspiration values. A new algorithm was developed to estimate soil carbon as a function of soil depth. The depth of movement of the applied chemicals at the end of the growing season was estimated with CMLS for each of the soil series in the STATSGO soil mapping units and the results were entered into ARC/INFO to produce the final hazard maps showing best, weighted average, and worst case results for every unique combination (polygon) of soil mapping unit and climate. County weed infestation maps for leafy spurge and spotted knapweed were digitized and overlaid in ARC/INFO with the CMLS model results for picloram to illustrate how the results might be used to evaluate the threat to groundwater posed by current herbicide applications.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) was developed to evaluate its utility in an eradication program of common crupina. Infested areas were recorded in the GIS along with information normally found on United States Geological Survey topographic maps. Infested areas were separated into management areas according to possible treatment method and special environmental or health requirements such as proximity to streams or inhabited buildings. The location, size, and type of each management area were recorded in the database. The database was constructed to maintain treatment and efficacy data for tracking the process of eradication for each infestation. Areas were identified for detection surveying, including coordinates for navigating with a global positioning system (GPS).

Chicory (Cichorium intybus L. # CICIN), succory, blueweed, coffee-weed, blue sailors, bunk, or blue daisy, is familiar to many of us as an erect weed along roadsides or in fields, displaying small, startlingly bright blue flowers. Others of us may only have tasted its roots—roasted and ground into a bittersweet coffee substitute or additive: an essential component of the New Orleans brew served blacker than a hundred midnights in a cypress swamp. Along with its close relative endive (Cichorium endivia L.), chicory also has an important place in the salads of Europe and, increasingly, the United States. Both chicory and endive were indispensable in ancient and medieval herbal pharmacies and are still used medicinally today.