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Introduction
Somerset County is 305.5 square miles in size and the twelfth largest
county in New Jersey. The population stands at over 314,626 in 21
municipalities. The average income is about $88,957 and real estate
figures show the median price for a home is about $348,024.00.
The Road division maintains 243 miles or 546.29 lane miles of county
roads and performs various duties including jet rodder operations, basin
and manhole repairs, new installation of drainage pipe, removal of dead
trees, sealing of cracks and joints, roadside mowing, detention basin
maintenance, grading and drainage, installation and removal of snow
fence, maintenance of equipment, blacktop paving, shoulder and ditch
work, mosquito extermination work, related water management, brush
cutting and drainage work, litter pick up, and addressing any complaints
which may arise. The Division also provides 24-hour emergency response
365 days a year. The Division strives to provide the taxpayers of
Somerset County with a reasonable level of mosquito control and
protection from mosquito borne diseases, consistent with location and
prevailing conditions and by using approved methods. With the
cooperation of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, and the Director of
Public Works, adequate facilities, equipment and specialized tools are
available to operate this program. The methods to be utilized are
approved by the New Jersey State Mosquito Control Commission. There are
many distress mosquito potential areas in Somerset County for high
production of (Aedes Vexans). In the central part we have flood plain
land adjacent to the Raritan River and also the Millstone River. These
low-lying ground areas are in the Borough of Manville, Bound Brook, and
Hillsborough Township. At the northern end of the county flood areas
adjacent to the Passaic River and various points of the North Branch
River. After above normal rainfall these locations with a large human
population increase the Mosquito Control efforts.
Due to the large increase of home development and human population, land
that has been developed on wooded areas throughout the County has caused
problems and concerns to residents.
Detention basins for storm water are a big concern. Sixty-Five units are
maintained by the Road Division to reduce a potential mosquito problem.
Damage to small waterways are still being found and corrected routinely. Surveillance
New Jersey light traps are used to monitor the adult mosquito population
at various locations. The number of traps in use varies each season.
These levels are recorded at each site and are in service from May
through September. In addition to the New Jersey light trap, the
American Biophysics ABC trap will be used at four locations.
Inspector reports are also a way of monitoring mosquitoes.
Somerset County is broken down into four sections that have been mapped
and recorded.
Public complaints by phone, and all other complaints are investigated by
a foreperson or an inspector to determine if adult mosquitoes are a
problem. All complaints are recorded and kept on file.
Somerset County Mosquito Control, employs an identification person. This
I.D. person collects mosquitoes from the traps, and then takes them back
to the lab for identification. The location and number is recorded and
kept on file. Water Management
The ditches that Somerset County Mosquito Control has installed over
many years are maintained each year in the winter months by hand
cleaning and brush removal. These systems drain water down quickly to
rivers and brooks. All water management ditches are also mapped and
recorded on the date they are last serviced. Some ditch projects may
need redefining with machinery. Permits are needed for these types of
projects. Somerset County General Permit Type-l so we can perform these
functions. Chemical Control
Somerset County will use all pesticides registered with the EPA and
N.J.D.E.P. These pesticides are also recommended by New Jersey State
Agricultural Experiment Station of Rutgers University.
Larvaicidal
Inspectors will perform larval mosquito work on a daily basis. The
county is divided into 4 sections to be checked for larval mosquitoes in
these hot spots. Pesticides will be applied by ground using a horn
seeder or backpack blower for Vectobac and VectoLex CG. Bonide is
applied with a two and a half gallon spray container. The amounts that
are used will be recorded in the route books, and kept on file. Adulticiding
Adulticiding is only done when absolutely necessary. It’s done with an
Ultra Low Volume (ULV), machine mounted on the back of a pick up truck.
These units are used when large mosquito out breaks need to be treated.
Adulticiding work is done after sunset and up until early morning hours,
(approximately 5AM) and is carefully recorded and monitored. ULV
machines will be applying Scourge. Calibrations, which determine the
flow rate and droplet size, are done on the ULV equipment each year.
The Road Division will receive a registered list of Beekeepers who will
be notified if the ULV work is to be performed within one mile of the
keeper's location. Aerial Spraying
This approach to pesticide applications in Somerset County has been
extremely rare, but can be accomplished if required, within a reasonable
amount of time.
Biological Control
In Somerset County biological control is currently in use with mosquito
fish (Gambusia species), fat head minnows, and sunfish.
Education
Employees continue their mosquito control education training with the
NJMCA Pesticide Training Program; the state mandated Right To Know for
hazardous substances, respirator training, CPR and First Aid, Safety
Equipment, Confined Space Entry Classes and Rutgers Mosquito
Identification Workshop.
Public education is accomplished by, exhibits at the Somerset County 4-H
Fair, County Government Week, and brochures and specialized literature
handed out when answering public complaints. The Internet also has
information regarding questions and concerns.
Division Facilities
The Road Division is housed in a 61,733 square foot facility, which is
shared with the Bridge Division. This consists of the main office, lunch
room and training area, locker room, lavatory and shower, garage area
for minor repairs, equipment storage shed, identification inspection
area, and a 585 square foot pesticide storage building. This facility is
on Federal property at 410 Roycefield Road in Hillsborough Township.
Other road division facilities are located on Holland Avenue in Peapack
Gladstone and Dupont Street in North Plainfield. Mosquito Control Equipment
The following equipment is used for mosquito control by the division:
pickup trucks, rack body trucks, dump trucks and an excavator.
Attachments: trailers, ULV sprayers, and a Vac-Con basin and pipe
cleaning truck.
Administration
The Division currently has sixty-five permanent employees. There are a
total of thirty-one employees in the division that are currently holding
commercial pesticide licenses.
Supervisory personnel attend the New Jersey, Northeastern, and American
Mosquito Control Association meetings. On occasion, other meetings are
also attended
Protocol
ULV – Ultra Low Volume
Adulticiding
In the event that mosquito adulticiding is necessary it will be
preformed in the evening or early morning hours. Somerset County
Mosquito Control will Contact the County Health Department and advise
them of the locations that will be treated. One day’s notice will be
given prior to spraying for adult mosquitoes. The mosquito control work
to be performed will then be relayed to the local health departments via
e-mail by the County Heath Department. The Police departments will be
notified by the Road Division of the areas that will be treated. The
local news media will also be contacted regarding these control
operations. In the event of bad weather conditions, rescheduling will be
necessary.
Operation Policy
Aerial Larviciding
This approach to pesticide application in the County has been extremely
rare, but can be accomplished if required. In the event that aerial
larvicide application is necessary due to the population of mosquitoes,
and/or, a health hazard notice is sent (yearly) to the mayor's offices
of the municipalities that may be involved. This information shows them
highlighted maps of the areas to be treated. Prior to each application
the police departments, the municipalities and local news media shall be
notified. This package is sent by certified mail. This notice is to be
returned to the Somerset County Road Division with acknowledgement by
the mayor of each municipality or their authorized representative.
Ground Larviciding
Somerset County personnel perform this application. All inspectors have
a New Jersey certified pesticide applicator license. This application
will be applied only to water that the presence of mosquito larvae. This
application is made to the standing water by a hand carried spray tank;
(oil liquid) or a hand carried horn spreader, (granular formulation).
Weather pending it will take place from April to October.
Ground Adulticiding
After it has been determined by data gathered from our surveillance
program (traps, resting boxes, landing counts, and public complaints)
treatment may be necessary. An ultra low volume (ULV) unit that is
mounted in a pick-up truck applies the pesticide, (Scourge). The
application will be made after sunset or before sunrise. Spraying is at
a travel speed of 10 mph. A one-day's notice of the locations to be
treated will be given to the County Health Office, it then is relayed by
the County Health Department via e-mail to local Health Departments.
Notice to police departments will be made by the Road Division Office.
The local news media will be contacted regarding these services by the
Road Division office. In the event of bad weather rescheduling will be
necessary. Legal Notice
A legal notice in two Local news medias (Courier News, Star Ledger) will
appear every 3 weeks with the names of the pesticides used in the
control of mosquitoes. These notices will be running from April to
November. Pesticide Used
A package of all pesticides used in mosquito work has been sent to all
local Health Departments by the mosquito control office. This is sent to
them at the start of each season.
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