by Dave Tamayo, Pesticide Control Program Manager, Sacramento County Stormwater Program Way back at the end of the last century (the 1990s), the Sacramento Stormwater Quality Partnership (or SSQP, which includes Sacramento County and the cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento) found that the water in local creeks was…

by Dave Tamayo, Sacramento County Storm Water Program A favorite activity of my childhood was collecting big “red ants” (Pogonomyrmex sp. harvester ants) and creating ant habitats in a jar so I could watch them forage and dig. Even better, a friend of mine had his very own red ant colony just outside his kitchen…

by Dave Tamayo, Pesticide Control Program Manager, Sacramento County Stormwater Program. The way you design and maintain the landscaped areas of your home or business can either help or hurt local creeks and rivers, and the creatures that depend on them. Landscapes have the potential to trap pollutants, conserve water, and prevent creek erosion. However,…

by Dave Tamayo, Pesticide Control Program Manager, Sacramento County Stormwater Program. The way you design and maintain the landscaped areas of your home or business can either help or hurt local creeks and rivers, and the creatures that depend on them. Landscapes have the potential to trap pollutants, conserve water, and prevent creek erosion. However,…

by Dave Tamayo, Trustee Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District West Nile Virus (WVN) has been in the news a lot recently, especially since it appeared in Southern California last year. It is almost certain to arrive in Sacramento this year. Since WNV is spread to humans by mosquitoes which breed in water, it helps…