Impoundment Pumping Season-Closing Culverts

The impoundments are connected to the lagoon by culverts which are open to natural tides most of the year to allow for free exchange of water, nutrients, and organisms.  During the summer season, these areas are kept flooded during the summer season to minimize the amount of exposed mud available for mosquito egg-laying.  Stationary electric or portable diesel pumps are used to add enough lagoon water to the marshes until the marsh is covered with a minimum of a few inches of water. This prevents the saltmarsh mosquitoes (Aedes taeniorhynchus and Aedes sollicitans) from laying their eggs and the production cycle is stopped. This technique is known as Rotational Impoundment Management (RIM).  The ecosystem management protocols result in multi-species benefits, especially to fish and wading birds, and is an example of insect control by a resource management method that does not require pesticides.