The 4^th of July is popular day for cookouts with family and friends.  Fireworks and backyard barbecues will hopefully bring everybody outside for the afternoon and evening.  With all the rain we have had lately – it would be no surprise to me that one topic of conversation may be mosquitoes.  A relatively new invasive species of mosquito – the Asian tiger mosquito – thrives in urban areas.  The mosquitoes hitchhiked on a shipment of used tires from southeast Asia to Houston approximately 30 years ago.   The species is dependent on utilizing containers and things that hold water to lay their eggs.  Fogging is effective, at least temporarily, to sway their numbers but the best control strategy is to remove all potential accumulation of water, thereby eliminating their habitat.  Mosquitoes need at least 5-7 days of standing water before their eggs hatch.  This is a concern for the management of stormwater also.  Regulations for stormwater management have shifted the focus from “removing all stormwater from properties as fast as possible” to “retaining the stormwater for a limited time until regional surface water flows subside”.  Stormwater management strategies that include retention (and detention) should be mindful of vector control during the design phase so as to not encourage the propagation of this species.

If you need help with stormwater concerns or would like to know more, please contact Dan Hardin at the email address above.