The Grower- A Publication for Turlock Irrigation District Water Users
July 2003, Vol. 14 / No. 2

The Stanislaus County Public Health Agency has sent out an advisory regarding encroachment of the West Nile Virus and suggestions on how growers can reduce mosquito breeding in ponds and standing water.

The West Nile Virus (WNV) can be transmitted to human and animals from a bite of an infected mosquito. Most people who are infected with WNV have no symptoms at all. If a person becomes ill, symptoms may be flu-like including fever, headache, body aches, and sometimes skin rash and swollen lymph glands. In rare instances the infection can result in encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain.

To reduce mosquito breeding, all waste water ponds should be kept weed free along the inside edge of the pond and on the pond where weed growth may occur on floating manure or debris. The Turlock Mosquito Abatement District (MAD) offers a weed control program at minimal cost for these ponds. Interested growers may contact the MAD office for an agreement at (209) 634-1234.

Mosquito fish are recommended for use in standing water created by drains abutting canals or natural barriers. The fish work well at controlling mosquito larvae. However, breeding may still occur along the edges where weed growth creates natural barriers that keep out mosquito fish and allow mosquito larvae to mature into adults. MAD recommends that weed growth along the edge of the ponded areas be keep lower than six inches to allow fish to access shallow water.

If water is standing longer than three days at end of a field, growers are advised to reduce the amount of irrigation water he or she puts on the field or to develop a return system to pump the water off the field.

Growers are free to contact Turlock MAD (209) 634-8331 to discuss any additional standing water problems.