Newsletters
Below are the newsletters / progress reports to date. Regular updates will follow.
MIDGE UPDATE (16 JANUARY 2020)
The latest advice from the City of Bayswater is that:
The elevation in midge numbers is likely to be the result of changing climate conditions and nutrient loads within the environment.
The City is continuing to undertake a range of measures to help control the midge population within the Maylands lakes, including regular residual spraying of harbourage areas surrounding the lakes, treatment of the lakes with larvicides, trapping, sampling and monitoring. These control measures are generally consistent with the measures undertaken by other local governments with man-made lakes.
Sampling undertaken yesterday within the lakes has revealed a significant decrease in midge breeding within Lake Bungana, whereas elevated levels of breeding still exist within Lake Brearley. Although the City has received some positive feedback from residents in relation to its actions, the recent complaints appear to be from residents closest to Lake Brearley.
The current decrease in midge breeding within Lake Bungana may be related to the removal of nutrients associated with the recent dredging works. The lake is currently being intensively monitored to develop a nutrient and hydraulic model of the lake. This monitoring will also identify whether the dredging works provided any ongoing water quality benefits to Lake Bungana.
The monitoring will be completed in June and officers expect to receive a draft report on the matter by the end of August 2020. At this stage the City expects to have information available to provide a report to Council on the matter in October 2020. The report will include a review of potential works for the lakes to inform the allocation of funds to the most appropriate management options.
In the meantime, the City is continuing to undertake regular midge treatments as well as researching and trialling additional midge control measures to help combat this issue, including:
• Using temporary mobile light towers to attract midge and keep them in the treated areas away from residential properties.
• Designing and constructing additional mobile solar powered midge traps and deploying these around the lakes.
• Installing bat boxes, which are expected to attract and retain micro bats that are known to consume significant quantities of midge and mosquitoes each day.
• Providing impacted residents with an allocation of residual insecticide (as is currently done with rat baits) to help treat midge that are harbouring on private property and assist in breaking the breeding cycle.
Updated information about the City’s current midge control activities, works undertaken at Maylands Lakes and also what residents can do around their homes to help minimise the nuisance can be found on the City’s website at https://www.bayswater.wa.gov.au/community/public-health/pest-control.
Should you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact Michael Worthington, the City’s Manager Environmental Health.