the dosages used to kill mosquitoes, non-target organisms are safe. Both of these products, especially Bacillus, break down quickly and should therefore present no hazard to water quality. Given that a site such as Big Bay may become a mecca for those wishing to swim, sail or even fish, a surveillance programme and some environmental modifications are necessary. The deeper open waters of this bay coupled with a vegetation-free foreshore as a buffer zone, perhaps 400 m on either side of a swimming zone, should minimize or even negate swimmer’s itch. Adjacent Hydrilla and other macrophytes will require clearing as these will also present a physical hazard to swimmers and watercraft. The monitoring programmes could ideally be done three to four weeks prior to extensive public usage to allow time for any remedial action. The prevalence of key mosquito species and of large Austropeplea (and Gyraulus and Amerianna) snails can be established quickly as can cercarial infection in the snails. If it is found necessary to establish infection rates in mosquitoes, the newly developed Ross River and Barmah Forest virus testing procedures using mosquito cell cultures and enzyme immunosorbent assay (Oliveira et al. 1995) would require six days processing time. This offers considerable economy over previous methods using intracerebral inoculation of baby suckling mice. We would suggest that prior to selected recreational events, especially those from March to May, the Water Supply Board should initiate the action shown in Figure 9.6. The information supplied in response to a request should be communicated to recreational users to ensure that they are aware of the risks. Perhaps mosquito, arbovirus, and schistosome status could be displayed in the same way as fire hazard status is commonly indicated. It would be remiss of us to generate the impression that we had all the answers to the Ross River dam. The stage 2A lake and its surrounds are undergoing a process of ecological change and realization of this must remain paramount. There are issues relating to mosquito biology and behaviour and to do with snail ecology generally that would repay further study. Thus further selective monitoring and research should not be forsaken. References
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