2017 Integrated Pest Management Annual Report Copyrighted
September 17, 2018
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 7.
ITEM TITLE: 20171ntegrated PestManagementAnnual Report
SUMMARY: The Integrated Pest Management Working Group
transmitting the 2017 Integrated Pest Management Annual
Report which has been reviewed by the Resilient
Community Advisory Commission and the Parks &
Recreation Commission.
SUGGESTED DISPOSITION: Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
2017 I ntegrated Pest Management Annual Report City Manager Memo
Annual Report Staff Memo
THE CTTY OF Dubuque
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Masterpiece on the Mississippi Z°°' Z°'Z
2013�2017
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: 2017 Integrated Pest Management Annual Report
DATE: September 13, 2018
The Integrated Pest Management Working Group is transmitting the 2017 Integrated
Pest Management Annual Report which has been reviewed by the Resilient Community
Advisory Commission and the Parks & Recreation Commission.
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Mic ael C. Van Milligen �� �
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
John Klostermann, Public Work Director
Steve Sampson Brown, Project Manager
THE CITY OF Dubuque
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Resilient Community Advisory Commission
FROM: Integrated Pest Management Working Group
SUBJECT: 2017 IPM Annual Report
DATE: July 30, 2018
Introduction
In January of 2016 the City was tasked with incorporating an Integrated Pest Management program (IPM)
into the daily operations of all city departments. The IPM program was compiled with input from both city
staff and representatives from public citizen groups. The IPM program was presented to the City Council
in June and adopted on June 20�h. An IPM program is designed to look at alternative mechanical,
cultural or biological methods of pest control before using chemicals.
The IPM working group will complete an annual report that will be delivered to the City Manager and
Resilient Community Advisory Commission. While this report details practices tested in several
departments, the Leisure Services department was the first to compile data regarding amounts of
pesticides used.
Weather Patterns and Herbicide Usaqe
Weather trends have a direct effect on the ability for optimal performance of pesticide applications. The
application of pre-emergent herbicides is determined by the warming of the ground and air temps in the
spring of the year. The more rain events that occur during a month also reduce the ability of herbicides to
work effectively. The data in the charts below shows chemical use for 2016, the IPM transition year and
2017.
Weathertrend 2016
April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
Average Temp.(F) 58 69 78 82 80 72 60
Rainfall(inches) 3.66 4.17 4.41 4.29 4.41 3.46 2.68
Weathertrend 2017
April May June July Aug. Sept. Oct.
Average Temp.(F) 60 67 81 81 76 77 62
Rainfall(inches) 5 2.77 3.06 7.42 3.23 1.02 6.19
THE CITY OF Dubuque
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2016-17 Leisure Services Application Data
2016 vs 2017 application data
Post Emergent EPA category 2016 2017
Roundup III 2035ounces 835ounces
Rodeo II 510ounces 0
Stinger II 4.Stsp 3.SStsp
Pre emergent
Surflan II 780ounces 1lounces
Pennant II 8.Sounces 376ounces
Sureguard II 38tsp 0
Total Applications 108 50
Preemergentonly 7.40% 6.00%
Post emergent only 92.59% 84.00%
pre w/post emergent 14.81% 10.00%
The Park Division has 12 employees that are certified pest control applicators. The amount of herbicides
shown in ounces is the amount of concentrate used for the year. Rates for each product in ounces per
gallon of water vary for each product. Round up/Rodeo are applied at a rate of 2 ounces of concentrate
per gallon of water. Using this formula, the difference in Round Up use was 1200 ounces of concentrate
or 600 gallons of applied product. A typical application is made using a 3 gallon backpack sprayer, which
is a reduction of 200 backpack applications. The applied rate for Surflan/Pennant is 1 ounce of
concentrate per gallon of water. The applied rate for Stinger/Sureguard, specialized herbicides, is'/a tsp
per gallon of water. The numbers of pre-emergent products between the two seasons is reflecting the
alternating use of the two herbicides to prevent plant and seed resistance. There were also several large
mulching projects that helped prevent weed growth during the season reflecting the reduction of all
product usage. During the development of the IPM program, playgrounds were listed as an area that
would no longer be treated with pesticides. Thus, in 2016 and 2017 no applications were necessary to
playgrounds.
Currently, Leisure Services is the only department licensed and applying herbicides, including Round-up,
to City property maintained landscapes.
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Contractor Services
The Leisure Services and Public Works departments use contracted services for herbicide applications
throughout city managed areas. The contractors providing the services have a signed IPM contract form
on file. The herbicides being applied have met the requirement standards of the City IPM program.
The Leisure Services department currently has contracts with Spring Green lawn services for applying
herbicides to the tree rings at Dubuque Industrial Center West, Technology Park, Kerper Blvd., and the
Highway 20 Corridor landscaping. In 2017, Sping Green applied 373 ounces of round-up weed control to
spot treat the mulched areas. This included 385 tree rings and approximately one acre of large mulched
beds.
The Public Works department currently has contract with Landmark Turf services to apply herbicides to
the clean stone and riprap surfaces of the Floodwall. The flood control system is not a part of the IPM due
to the Army Corps of Engineers standards enforced to ensure structural stability of the area. Landmark
turf services uses Esplanade 200SC and Perspective to treat the clean stone side of the floodwall. They
applied 32 oz.(5 oz./acre) and 52 oz(8 oz./acre). respectively to the 6.5 acre length of the floodwall.
Aquatic use herbicdes, Polaris and Garlon 3A, are applied to the rip rap portions of the floodwall system.
They are appllied at the same rate of 2 qt. per acre. The rip rap area covers about 27.25 acres. A total of
56 quarts(1808 oz.) of each herbicide.
Alternative Methods
A variety of non-chemical controls continued to be tested during the 2017 growing season.
Rock Salt This test product was thought of for a different approach to prevent weeds in the safety
surface required for all playsets. The safety surface is composed of impact tested bark mulch. When this
product decays it turns to soil and is optimal for weed growth. The application of a thin layer of rock salt
before new safety surface layered under the playset changes the soils ability to allow seed germination.
Especially in larger quantities,this application does affect the ph of the soil. This practice is ideal for
playsets, where no plant growth is desired, but should not be used in landscape situations due to the
need for plant growth.
Recommendation: This process would be acceptable in small amounts in areas were runoff and leaching
would not occur due to the impact on soil and water quality. Leisure services has continued to use this
practice during new playground mulch installation for the 2017 season.
Hot Water The Public Works department tested the use of scalding hot water to remove weeds from
some of the permeable alleys. It showed good short term results, but as a long term option is unclear.
This technique was also used at Flora pool this past summer. Pool zones in the IPM are "pesticide free"
so this was an easy practice to help keep the walkway cracks free of weeds.
THE CITY OF Dubuque
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Recommendation: This process showed only short term results. Without an easy access to large
quantities of hot water, this alternate method only works for small areas. This practice was continued for
the 2017 season.
Citv Departmental Updates
Public Works Limited treatment of the turf areas in the Port of Dubuque will continue by applying a less
toxic granular based fertilizer with weed control in 2017 and will continue in 2018.
The department began using a maintenance practice in the new green alleys of applying a 23°� salt brine
solution for weed control. This is the same solution used during deicing practices for winter storm events.
The salt brine usage is based upon weed growth on an as-needed basis. In 2018, the alleys will receive
increased sweeping to remove debris and control weed growth.
Airport Although the airport is regulated by FFA rules, they now have a state certified pesticide applicator
on staff.
Parking/Transit With the new alignment of the two departments, the landscape pest control will either be
contracted out or provided by the Leisure Services department licensed applicators.
Fire The Fire department has discontinued treatment of the lawns, landscape, etc., with pesticides at all
firehouses. All firehouse building pest control being done when needed is being contracted out to a
licensed contractor to ensure least toxic pesticides are used with proper application.
Building Services The Building Services department is responsible for pest treatment at City Hall. The
process was updated in 2016 to better protect employee health during and after treatments.
1. Notify all staff 24 hours in advance ofthe application.
2. PerForm the application priorto City Hall opening at 8:00 AM, and make sure the application is dry
by 8:00 AM
3. Provide the Staff with the MSDS sheet on the product used.
4. Contractor complies with new requirements for pest treatment.
5. Our staff will not perForm anymore applications of chemicals,for example wasp or hornet spray,
etc.
Leisure Services The Park division began implementation of the IPM program in the spring of 2016,
Prior to the City Council adoption of the IPM. The maintenance staff began information training on daily
practice changes. The list of pesticides used was evaluated to select only products that are least toxic to
the environment, per EPA standards. Mechanical methods of weed control such as hand pulling weeds,
using line trimmers, and mulching plant beds will be used when possible before pesticide application.
New onsite signage was developed to better inform the public of the pesticide used, date and time of
application, and target pest being treated.
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The division continues to maintain ten Pesticide Free Parks:
1. Allison Henderson Park
2. Cleveland Park
3. Falk Park
4. Riley Park
5. Pinard Park
6. Southern Park
7. Teddy Bear Park
8. Welu Park
9. Maus Park
10. Usha Park
In an effort to promote sustainable and pollinator friendly landscapes,three pollinator landscaped beds
were planted in two city parks. A.Y McDonald Park has two of the beds and the third is located in
Pyatigorsk Park.
Public Education & Notification Svstem
A total of 58 people subscribed to the "Pesticide Application Notification" on the City of Dubuque Notify
Me system, up from 39 the previous year. The notify system sends a text or email to the client identifying
the zone of the city where an application might occur for a two week period.
The City of Dubuque is also a partner in the Good Neighbor lowa initiative, a statewide effort to reduce
chemical treatment of turf lawns, and will be implementing several events in 2018 as an active participant
in the program.
Staff Education
IPM Program trainings were conducted for the City's Leadership Team and all fire department staff fin
2017. Additionally, at least one individual in each department attended an IPM training and is equipped
to implement best practices, with the assistance of the IPM Committee,for their department.
Recommendations for 2018 Implementation
1. Integration of IPM Best Practices into Leases for City Land
2. Leisure Services will be implementing poured in place safety surface under all new and renovated
play structures instead of mulch chips, starting with two locations in the Bee Branch greenway.
3. Adopt-A-Spot program-On Earth Day, April 20, 2018, the City will officially begin an Adopt-a-spot
program.
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4. Valentine Park land acquisition-Approximately eight acres of land adjacent to the park were
purchased with State grant money. This new portion of the park is being restored to native
landscape which will aide in storm water infiltration and control.
5. Establish an IPM appendix for the new Bee Branch Greenway: how and if chemical practices will
be needed.
Cc: Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission