Which Stormwater BMPs Breed More Mosquitoes?
With the proliferation of West Nile Virus (WNV), concerns are higher than ever that stormwater basins may be mosquito breeding grounds. A new article explores the link between various stormwater management practices (particularly detention versus retention ponds) and the proliferation of breeding mosquito populations. In Stormwater Management and Mosquito Ecology: A Systems-based Approach Toward an Integrative Management Strategy, John R. Wallace discusses the role of mosquito management as a facet of stormwater management. The article summarizes several different studies that investigated mosquito ecology and abatement with respect to stormwater facilities. The article concludes that BMP design options with shallow basin slopes produce fewer mosquitoes (slow-moving water will deter mosquitoes from laying eggs). Generally, BMPs with steep banks tend to have less emergent vegetation and do not produce large numbers of mosquitoes. The article also indicates that detention/extended detent
