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Information to help protect District residents
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According to the
Center for Disease Control , the Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 and is named after the Zika Forest in Uganda. In 1952, the first human cases of Zika were detected and since then, outbreaks of Zika have been reported in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands. Before 2007, at least 14 cases of Zika had been documented, although other cases were likely to have occurred and were not reported. Zika can be transmitted through mosquito bites, from a pregnant woman to her fetus and through the exchange of blood or body fluids.
Many people infected with the Zika virus will only have mild symptoms. The most common symptoms are fever, rash, joint pain and
Conjunctivitis (pink eye). Symptoms can last for several days to a week. People usually don't get sick enough to go to the hospital and they very rarely die of Zika infection. Once a person has been infected with the Zika virus, they are likely to be protected from future infections.
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The District is investing significant resources to enhance the drainage system that provides flood control to more than 700,000 residents within its boundary. To complement those efforts, the District is also updating its permitting policies for more effective management of the 1,000 miles of canal rights-of-way under its management. 
With more than 500 miles of canals and 20 major water control structures, the District is continually conducting maintenance of its canal system. Effective flood control is dependent on well-maintained canals and rights-of-way. District personnel are in the field daily to maintain canals and ensure the system is operating efficiently. Regular maintenance activities include four main areas:
The District is increasing its efforts to mechanically remove aquatic vegetation and reduce the need to utilize herbicides in our maintenance practices. Mechanical removal includes the use of containment booms which are floating ribbon-like structures that span the canal and extend approximately one foot both above and below the water's surface.
The booms serve as a physical barrier, collecting the debris while allowing water to continue to flow unimpeded. District crews can then remove the captured debris mechanically with the use of a grapple truck. Once the material is dry enough to be hauled away, it is transported to the District horticultural waste disposal site and later recycled for fill material.
