OC O&M - Vegetation and Pest Control
- Channels
- Confined Space
- Dams
- Engineering
- Pump Stations
- Storm Drains
- Vegetation & Pest Control
Vegetation Control
The County of Orange vegetation maintenance program includes pesticide applications
to manage, reduce, and control the growth of vegetation. The County uses an Integrated
Pest Management Program and Best Management Practices (BMP) that consider all alternatives
and methods available before proceeding with pesticide applications. When vegetation
control is deemed necessary, the County will determine whether the work should be
accomplished by hand crews, heavy equipment, pesticide applications, or a combination
of available resources. Each site will be inspected to determine need prior to any
pesticide applications. The County will use the least intrusive methods and products
available when pesticide applications are determined to be needed.
The use of pesticides as part of a vegetation control program shall be in accordance
with approved practices. Only EPA approved and registered materials shall be prescribed
for vegetation control applications. The County's use of any pesticide products
will be consistent with all EPA registered product label instructions, and any Use
Permits issued by the Agricultural Commissioner. All persons applying products will
be licensed by the Department of Pesticide Regulations (DPR) and all usage will
be reported to the Agricultural Commissioner.
All aquatic pesticide use will be in compliance with the County's Aquatic Pesticide
NPDES Permit Monitoring Plan. The Monitoring Plan has been conceived to comply with
all requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board's Aquatic Pesticide
NPDES Permit, the Clean Water Act, the EPA and the CDPR.
The County evaluates non-toxic and less toxic control measures that may provide
a practical substitute for pesticide applications. The County evaluates BMPs that
may include alternative control options and procedures. When pesticide applications
are recommended, the County has made the determination that there are no feasible
alternatives to the selected pest management measures.
All County pest control operations are on County owned or contracted properties.
No control measures are taken by the County on privately owned properties.
Pest Control
AFRICANIZED HONEY BEES
The County of Orange Operations & Maintenance controls bee populations on County
owned property. No control measures are taken by the County's O&M crews on privately
owned properties. Please visit the
County Vector Control District website for more official Africanized Honey
Bee information.
GOPHERS AND GROUND SQUIRRELS
The County maintains flood control facilities in a "weed free" condition
in order to see burrowing rodents that may compromise the integrity of the flood
control facility. Once established, burrowing rodents can cause voids in raised
levees that can rupture during high water flows, flooding adjacent properties. In
park settings, burrowing rodents create holes that can cause personal injury and
create a danger to the public. For this reason, The County of Orange Operations
and Maintenance controls the populations of burrowing rodents in County flood control
facilities and other County properties. For control of rats, please contact the
County Vector Control
District website or call
 (714)
971-2421.
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