We are happy to hear that the worst of the flooding in the Top of Utah may be over.
Because of cooler temperatures the last four weeks, the massive snowpack in the nearby mountains has melted at a slower rate, allowing water managers to stay ahead of the game with releases from area reservoirs.
It has been a combination of good planning and good luck. Let’s hope both continue.
However, when the high water does recede, the buzz is we may be faced with a different kind of flood of blood suckers. And we may be limited in our preparation.
We are, of course, talking about mosquitoes.
The flooding so far has inundated fields and wetlands that will leave a perfect breeding ground for skeeters once water levels get back to normal.
Davis and Weber mosquito abatement officials report that they will have fewer tools available this year to face this possible onslaught.
The EPA discovered some of the pesticides being used did not meet newer regulatory standards, so they had to pull the products to protect public health and the environment.
Bruce Bennett, director of Weber Mosquito Abatement, said they used to have as many as 15 different chemicals to choose from. Now they have two. He said this is the biggest problem he has faced in his 50 years in the business.
EPA regulations can always be a two-sided issue. No one wants disease-carrying mosquitoes infesting their backyards. But we also don’t want to be exposed to unsafe chemical pesticides.
We urge the EPA to do all it can to expedite its review and registration process. In the meantime, we can help combat the problem by making sure there is no standing water left in yards. This means cleaning out birdbaths, tires or other items that can collect water. Also make sure any standing water in yards has a way to drain to proper storm drains, or is physically spread out to evaporate more quickly.
It can be a quick turnaround from filling sandbags, to swatting skeeters.
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