I Knode it would happen
by Marty Lucas - 7.10.2002
A comment prompted by the featured link for 9.9.02 - Knode Creek blockage causes mosquito concern - [9.9 - Wieland - Times/NWI]
It was certain to happen; concerns over West Nile virus being used to promote a ditching project. I'm concerned about West Nile virus too. While West Nile hasn't yet proven to be a significant threat to vigorous people, it does seem to pose some danger to the elderly. It seems to be more of threat to horses, hawks, crows and other 'raptors', and that's reason enough to look for ways to control the problem - and nobody likes mosquitoes anyway. But history is replete with instances of ill-conceived pest control measures. Sometimes the effort only makes the problem worse.
Let's examine the case of Knode Creek (as described in the above linked article) with a sceptical eye. Note first that the watercourse in question is known as 'Knode Creek'. The term creek, in our region at least, tends to suggest it's a perennial watercourse meaning water flows through it year around. While it's obvious from the story that Knode Creek has been channelized, used and abused by humanity, it nevertheless continues to be fed by the seeps and springs that created the original 'unimproved' Knode Creek.
It seems that the people who want to dredge Knode Creek actually want to see it dry up in midsummer; that is, change it from a perennial stream to an intermittant ditch or gully. Fortunately, this is unlikely to happen because the seeps and springs that make Knode Creek a perennial stream will continue to feed it assuming the city of Valparaiso can't arrange for a permanent end to rainfall. It's truly a bizarre suggestion that the presence of fish in the creek indicates a problem. Quite ironic, considering one of the most tried and true (and low cost) methods of mosquito control is modifying the habitat to improve fish habitat. Hey folks, little fish eat mosquito larvae! For example, the Broward County, Florida mosquito control section web page gives this mosquito control advise on their web page: Stock fish pools or lily ponds with minnows. These fish devour mosquito larvae.
No doubt, keeping the water flowing in Knode Creek would be helpful to mosquito control; the larvae would tend to wash downstream. But pools are simply part of the riparian ecosytem; they provide a refuge for fish during periods of low flow (like now). Without these pools for refuge, fish couldn't inhabit the creek and therefore wouldn't be present in the creek during wetter periods. That would make the mosquito problem worse, not better.
Removing trash (especially discarded tires), garbage and sources of pollution would be helpful too; experts often point out that disease carrying mosquitoes breed especially well in polluted waters and in human generated trash. Discarded tires are consistently pointed out as favorite spots breeding by the kinds of mosquitoes that carry disease. In short, a healthy Knode Creek would be less likely to spread disease. It would probably be a lot prettier too.
killing fish won't stop West Nile
Turning our green midwestern landscape into a desert, devoid of water, fish, or anything else other than pavement is not the answer, it's part of the problem. Too much ditching and dredging is destructive and expensive; the dream of dry ditch bottoms is, just to be blunt about it, the product of confused minds. Spraying programs may be justified during mosquito outbreaks in populated areas, but these efforts are expensive and tend to kill off the other creatures that eat mosquitoes. In the long run, fostering healthy clean streams WITH FISH, thank you, can only help reduce the frequency and severity of mosquito borne illnesses. [ML - 9.9.02 - also posted on Outdoors, gently on the bigEastern.com home page]
Mosquito Control Information
Joint Statement on Mosquito Control in the United States from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Mosquito Control from the Broward Co. (Fla.) mosquito control section.
Mosquito Control and Wetland Management Project Set to Start at Cape Henlopen State Park discusses the use of Open Marsh Water Management (OMWM) to help control mosquitoes - mosquitoes breed most effectively in still, fishless waters; OMWM improves fish habitat, which in turn eat the larvae. From Delaware DNR.