|
|
|
 |
|
|
Salinity of Salt Pond being increased to combat insects
by The Daily Herald
Posted: Dec 29, 2005 17:12 UTC
|
PHILIPSBURG - The saline level in Great Salt Pond will be increased today, Thursday, and tomorrow, Friday, in an effort to eliminate the conditions that are conducive to the breeding of the “mosquito-like insects” that have been infesting Philipsburg in recent weeks.
The results of a test conducted by the Veterinary and Health Department on Wednesday prompted officials to make a quick decision to increase the salinity of the water in the Salt Pond in an attempt to kill the larvae of the insects.
For the test, samples of the larvae were taken from the pond and placed in saltwater. According to Department Head Tony Boyrard, some of the larvae were killed within a few hours and the others that remained alive were negatively affected.
The Public Works Department started lowering the water level in the pond from 5:00pm Wednesday. The exercise was expected to be continued throughout the night and until 6:00am today, confirmed Department Head Claudius “Toontje” Buncamper.
The water was pumped into Great Bay, as is always done. Seawater will be pumped into the pond throughout today to increase its saline level. The entire process will be repeated starting at 5:00pm today when the water in the pond will be lowered again. That exercise will continue throughout the night and sea water will be pumped in again on Friday.
Buncamper told The Daily Herald the salinity of the pond water had decreased substantially due to the amount of rain that had fallen in recent weeks.
Asked whether pumping out the water would have any polluting effect in the Great Bay area he said: “We have always pumped in the past and never had a problem. There is a misconception that the water in the salt pond is filthy and contaminated. That is absolute nonsense.”
He explained that the oxygen level in the pond was very high and the saline level low, resulting in the water being a good breeding ground for the insects.
Based on the results of yesterday’s test, Boyrard said Health Commissioner Franklin Meyers and Public Works Commissioner Roy Marlin had been advised that this exercise be done.
“I took some samples of the larvae and put them in seawater and I noticed that some of the larvae started dying and it was deduced that this measure could help.” He said the department’s assumption that this measure would be successful had been “backed up” by the Department of Health in Curaçao, which informed the local department via fax that it was “on the right track.”
“In the next three to four days we should see an improvement and a reduction in the number of (mosquito-like insects) in the pond,” he said.
Shedding some light on the strain of insects infesting the environs of Great Salt Pond, Health Sector Director Jorien Lucas-Wuite said entomologists in Curaçao who ran tests on samples of the insects had described them in correspondence as “mosquito-like insects.”
“They look like mosquitoes but they are not mosquitoes. Based on their investigation the insects are probably midges belonging to the chiromomidae family. There are more (strains) of these insects in the region, but the most common one is chiromomidae. They are midges resembling mosquitoes, but lack the characteristics of mosquitoes and do not bite,” Lucas-Wuite explained.
She expressed optimism that the measure being applied to deal with the situation will be successful. “We expect that the breeding of the insects will decrease. It’s an alternative to the spraying, which doesn’t seem to be that effective, so we will see if this is a better option to stop especially the breeding sites.”
Boyrard had said Tuesday that a biological method might be the best approach to get rid of the insects. Despite the fact that the affected areas were fogged twice recently, swarms of the insects, which apparently breed in Great Salt Pond, continue to plague the area and are a nuisance to residents and businesses in the affected environs.
Boyrard had said the Department was reluctant to use any type of chemical in the pond to get rid of the insects, as this might result in serious consequences for the flora and fauna there. (Judy Fitzpatrick)
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Content © The Daily Herald 2005 - All Rights Reserved.
You may bookmark this web page, print it or e-mail it to
a friend in accordance with the fair-use provisions of
copyright laws. The material is intended solely for the use
of the individual user.
Archiving, redistribution, or republication of this
material
on other terms, in any medium, requires the express
written permission of the author or publication and the
notification of the editors of Caribseek News. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
