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Northern Territory Department of Health Library Services Historical Collection
NT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY COMMENT ON
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HISTORICAL COLLECTION
THE SHOAL BAY DISTRICT CENTRE LAND USE CONCEPT PLAN 1989
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DL HIST 614.432 WHE
1989
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
TELEPHONE:
DEPARrMENT OF HEALTI-1 AND COMMUNI1Y SERICES MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY SECTION GPO Box 1701 DARWIN NT 0801
20 8333
PETER WHEIAN
SENIOR MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGIST
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MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY COMMENT ON
THE SHOAL BAY DISTRICT CENTRE LAND USE CONCEPT PLAN 1989
Peter Whelan
MEDI CAL EN TOM OLOGY BR A N CH
DEPA RTME NT OF HEA LTH AN D CO MM UNITY SERVICES
CENTRAL LIBRARY
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MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY COMMENT ON THE SHOAL BAY DISTRICT CENTRE LAND USE MANAGEMENT PLAN 1989
1. 0 INTRODUCTION
The Shoal Bay District Centre Land Use Concept Plan 1989 and the i n i t i a l proposed works maps have been examined. A brief on-site survey of potential mosquito breeding areas near the i n i t i a l proposed works has been carried on the 4th May 1989. The following comments are made in addition to those made in the Department of Health and Community Services report titled "Biting Insects and the Rural Area Strategy Plan, revised April 1987".
2. 0 OVERALL LAND USE SCHEME
2. 1 Significant salt marsh mosquito breeding areas exist along the inter-dune depressions associated with the upper reaches of small tidal creeks. There will need to be a detailed entomological, engineering and environmental solution to reduce or eliminate sources of pest and potential disease species of mosquitoes. I t is not likely that there will be a quick-fix solution to this problem as i t is a complex of both natural and developmental problems associated with water being discharged into these areas.
2. 2 The rural residential C 5000 square metre minimum) areas in the northern area will experience extreme biting midge problems. It is suggested that there is a need to carry out detailed entomological investigations into at least the northern area of the proposal area to determine the possible extent and levels of the biting midge problem.
2. 3 Urban residential, commercial and retail, and school areas in the proposal area, have the highest capacity to produce dry season low flows in storm water drains. All of these drains are ljkely to be discharged into existing creek lines. This may not cause serious mosquito breeding in the non-tidal portions of the creeks themselves, as long as the storm water is discharged direct to the upper tide limit and there are regularly maintained s i l t traps in line in the drains before any land clearing operation and development takes place.
2. 4 Sewage treatment and waste disposal areas will produce effluents. I t is likely that these effluents will be discharged into the northern mangrove creek system. Serious consideration will have to be given to the suitability of discharge of these effluents into this area, from the aspect of recreational use of the beaches and a potential contamination of seafood resources. It would appear to be more suitable to
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collect and discharge these effluents to the tidal areas on the western side of the Gunn Point Peninsula.
3. 0 SPECIFIC PROPOSALS A ND_ THE I NI TI AL DEVELOPMENT WORKS 3. 1 In the urban residential ( 1000 square metre
minimum area) the major requirement would be a storm water and drainage study to determine the most environmentally sound discharge points for storm water drainage. Because of the fragile nature of these beaches i t is suggested that storm water drainage should be discharged into the existing creek lines. There is a very real possibility of creating and aggravating mosquito breeding areas in the upper tidal reaches of these creeks. The existing mosquito breeding grounds and any additional breeding grounds will lead to serious mosquito pest and potential public health problems.
3. 2 Existing mosquito breeding areas are mainly in the inter-dune depressions associated with the creek lines extending up to northern end of the southern beach and in the smaller creek line at the southern end of the southern beach. The results of mosquito collections are shown in Table 1 and Map 4. These indicate potential problems from pest and disease vectors, including the species that carry Ross River virus, Murray Valley encephalitis virus, and vectors of malaria.
There is a need for in depth entomological, engineering and environmental investigations of the existing probl ems in these areas to provide an answer to the mosquito problem. From an entomological perspective alone there is a need to f i l l considerable areas, recreate drainage in other areas, and to clear and cut drainage channels through non-draining tidal areas.
There will also be a need for considerable protection of creek and drainage lines from erosion and siltation, which will occur due to land clearance and development.
A brief outline of the requirements to reduce mosquito breeding is shown on the accompanying maps. I t is stressed that any drainage channels indicated on the maps must be very shallow in depth and cause minimal disturbance to the existing vegetation within the drainage lines.
4. 0 DISCUSSION
Potential mosquito and biting midge problems are outlined above. The creek lines and the mangrove areas close to the present development proposal area were mentioned previously in principle and specifically in a Department of Health and Community Services report, but there does not appear to be much planning consideration given to what would have been considered adequate and timely forewarning. If planning decisions on the present area have already been made, potential problems can no longer be avoided and the
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clients and this Department will be left with trying to implement quick-fix options that have the potential to be ecologically destructive. The comments and suggestions on means to eliminate the mosquito breeding grounds in this development area are only a brief outline of the potential problems. These suggestions are made on a very limited entomological and ecological investigation. It is anticipated that these comments should be followed up by in-depth entomological, engineering and environmental investigations to try to come up with a solution to the existing and potential problems as an overall approach.
In-depth entomological investigations for this project are beyond the capacity of this Branch and should be performed by private consultants for the client as part of the information gathering and decision making process. This Branch would then be available for comment on any such information and conclusions.
Peter Whelan
Senior Medi cal Entomologist
/
TABLE 1
TRAP
LOCATION
Southern creek line on south beach, Gunn Point.
Southern portion of northern creek line on south beach, Gunn Point.
Approximately
200~
upstream from mouth of southern creek on north beach, Gunn Point.
Mouth of creek an
northern beach, Gunn Point.
TOTALS
PERCENTAGE OF TOTALS
MOSQUITO COLLECTIONS - SHOAL BAY DISTRICT - 4TH MAY 1989 MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY BRANCH - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
Number of female mosquitoes collected in carbon dioxide baited traps Per night MAP An.annulipes An.novaguinensis
An.powelli
Ae.norrnanensis Ae.notoscriptus
Ae.viailax
r. . ' t .
Lx.annu11ros.r1s Cx.vicinus Ur.lateral is Cq,xanthogaster
Ma.uniformis
REF
An.bancroftii An.farautiAn.rneraukensis
4
6 2
3
35 11 2
4 5
18 46 15 2
0.2 J.67 9.39 3.06 0.41 0.2
ex.Pullus Ae.alternans
Ae.kochi Ae.species 76
Cx.sitiens Cx.squamosus
2 9
135 !530
4
2 2 60
3 3
872
5 17 2 312 3 21
0.2 0.41 0.41 1.02 3.47 0.41 63.7 0.61 4.29 0.41 0.2
Ur.albescens
TOTALS
2 8
A u
4
3 lJ j ~
0.61 4.49 0.2 2.65
61
12!
114
490
100C
C6 6
~
~Map 1
Prepared by Medical Entomology Branch ~ l.,e}'artment of Health & Community Services( /
Shoal Bay
Legend
~ C o n t o u r line
= R o a d - Beach
D
Silt trap~
Area requiring /~ f i l l
~ Area requiring
~ Fl::11 and sl7
100 200
0 metres Scale
)
I
rural residential
\j,
Map 2
Prepared by Medical Entomology Branch Department of Health & Community Services
Shoal Bay
Legend
~ Con tour line
=
Road- . - Beach
c:::J
Silt trap~ I -Shallow channel
~ Flow
Scale
0 100 200 metres
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Urban residential
Rural residential
Rural residential
Water supply reserve
Map 3
Prepared by Medical Entomology Branch Department of Health & Community Services
Shoal Bay
Legend
,,...__,,, Contour line
= Road - Beach
D
Sil t Trap~ Area requiring
~ fi l l and slope
~ Flow
Scale
0 100 200
metres
Urban residential
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0
Map 4 SHOAL BAY DISTRICT CENTRE LAND USE CONCEPT PLAN Prepared by
Medical Entomology Branch Department of Health \'
& Community Services )
Legend Beach Road
~ Drainage Line CO2 Trap Site (4/5/'89)
Scale 100 200
metres
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/ Public open / space
Commercial
Urban residential
Rural
residential
Rural
residential
Urban residential
Community Use
Rural residential
