Last Updated on May 27, 2015 – 10:42 PM CDT
By Steve Ramos
The 7 inches of rain that have fallen over Dumas so far in May have nourished the growth of vegetation, creating a lushness not seen in the area for several years, thanks to a tenacious, record-breaking drought. But it has also created a haven for mosquitoes, prompting the city of Dumas to begin spraying to eradicate them.
“We sprayed Saturday, Sunday and Monday,” said Arbie Taylor, Dumas Interim City Manager. “We’ll be dropping larvicide in standing water to kill the mosquito larvae.”
Taylor said city workers sprayed all of Dumas over the three-day weekend, but future spraying will be determined by complaints. Residents who are experiencing large mosquito infestations should call city hall to let them know where the problem areas are.
The abundance of rain also can cause water leaks, Taylor said, and the city will be looking for those.
“The ground moves when we have this much rain,” he said. “That can cause some pipes to rupture, and then when the ground dries out, it will move again. So our crews will be out looking for any water problems.”
The moisture still caused an additional problem for the city. The alleys will need to be worked on after heavy garbage trucks and other traffic have rutted them.
“We’ll be working on that, too,” Taylor said, “and at the same time working on our streets by patching and crack sealing them.”