Greening Up For Mosquitoes: A Comparison of Green Stormwater Infrastructure in a Semiarid Region

Green stormwater infrastructure provides environmental, economic, and health benefits as a strategy for building resilience against climate change impacts. However, it may inadvertently increase vulnerability due to improper design and construction or lack of maintenance. We engaged city stakeholder...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 2022-06, Vol.38 (2), p.109-112
Main Authors: Brown, Heidi E, Keith, Ladd, Madera-Garcia, Valerie, Taylor, Anissa, Ramirez, Nicholas, Ogata, Irene
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic insects
Basins
Breeding
Cities
Climate action
Climate change
Construction
Data collection
Design
Drought
Environmental impact
Extreme heat
Infrastructure
Larvae
Mosquitoes
Rain
Semi arid areas
Semiarid lands
Stormwater
Vector-borne diseases
Vulnerability
West Nile virus
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Summary:Green stormwater infrastructure provides environmental, economic, and health benefits as a strategy for building resilience against climate change impacts. However, it may inadvertently increase vulnerability due to improper design and construction or lack of maintenance. We engaged city stakeholders and a diverse student group to investigate possible maladaptation. After rain events, student interns collected data at green stormwater infrastructure, identified in partnership with city stakeholders, for both water retention and mosquito larvae, if present. During the sampling period in 2018, 24 rain events occurred, with 28 sites visited 212 times including visits to basins (63%), curb cuts (34%), and a bioswale (2%). The largest basin consistently retained water (mean: 3.3 days, SD: 2.3 days) and was a positive site for Culex quinquefasciatus, a West Nile virus vector. We found that while basins can become mosquito breeding habitat, there was no evidence that curb cuts were collecting and retaining water long enough. As cities turn to green stormwater infrastructure to address climate change impacts of increasing drought, flooding, and extreme heat, these findings can help in the selection of appropriate infrastructure design typologies.
ISSN:8756-971X
1943-6270
DOI:10.2987/21-7055