Costa Mesa launches plan to fight mosquitoes at…
Costa Mesa launches plan to fight mosquitoes at Fairview Park
Biologist Barry Nerhus helped design an elaborate system of wetlands to filter runoff from the Santa Ana River though Fairview Park. Now, city officials have unveiled a plan to battle mosquito breeding in the wetlands area.
The figure of a pedestrian reflects in the new pond at Fairview Park in Costa Mesa.
A killdeer, left, and a yellow legs, right, enjoy the newly filled ponds at the Fairview Park wetlands area.
By Louis Casiano | Orange County Register
August 5, 2016 at 6:25 a.m.
COSTA MESA – City officials have unveiled a plan to battle mosquito breeding in the Fairview Park wetlands by cleaning storm drains, clearing vegetation, trapping and hiring someone to handle mosquito-related problems.
The plan came about a week after a mosquito nest was found in the city that tested positive for the West-Nile virus.
City staff members met last week with Orange County Vector Control District officials to talk about ways to keep mosquitoes from breeding in the wetlands, which include ponds and streams created to filter urban runoff. They asked whether the ponds should be drained.
"The short answer from the Vector Control District was no," Costa Mesa CEO Tom Hatch told the council Tuesday night. "Their point is if we're doing good work to clean out the ponds… then they felt very confident that that will better control the situation."
Vector Control has done additional mosquito trapping and the city has identified hotspots for breeding grounds, Hatch said.
Several storm drains in the park have been cleaned and inspected and large amounts of vegetation have been cut back or trimmed, he said. The city will look into using video equipment to look into storm drains to further dismantle breeding sites.
A county flood control channel between the ponds and a residential area will be treated at least every 10 days during the season when mosquitoes grow, Hatch said.
The city also hopes to hire someone within a month to focus on pond-related issues such as cleaning and protection of the habitat.
Councilwoman Katrina Foley said anyone hired for the job should not manage the problem from City Hall.
"My greatest concern is that we get a handle on the mosquitoes and the pond management," she said. "We need to have somebody who goes out into the park… touring the park and visiting all the different various locations."
Councilman Jim Righeimer said he supported the plans, but added that it should be dismantled if the goals aren't met.
"I think it's going to work, but if it doesn't I'm going to be in supportive of just shutting this thing down," he said.
To deter the critters, Vector Control recommends eliminating sources of standing water, making sure window screens are in good condition and reporting large breeding sites to the district. Residents should avoid spending time outdoors at dawn or dusk.
An Anaheim woman in her 60s remained hospitalized in serious condition Wednesday after becoming the first person to test positive for the West Nile virus in Orange County this year.
The virus has spread to 16 cities in the county this year, with 74 positive samples collected.
Last year there were 97 human infections and eight deaths attributed to the virus in Orange County.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com
Louis Casiano | Freelancer
Louis Casiano studied journalism at the University of Houston, where he was a reporter for the Daily Cougar and interned at the Houston Chronicle covering crime and breaking news. After graduating, he interned at NBCNews.com covering news on the national desk. Most recently he worked at The Orange County Register's breaking news and public safety beats. In 2016, he covered the busy coastal cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.
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