Carbaryl, Carbofuran, and Methomyl - National Marine Fisheries ...

The Coalition for Urban/Rural Environmental Stewardship (CURES) is a non-profit
organization that was founded in 1997 to support educational efforts for agricultural and
urban communities focusing on the proper and judicious use of pest control products.
CURES educates growers on methods to decrease diazinon surface water contamination
in the Sacramento River Basin. The organization has developed best-practice literature
for pesticide use in both urban and agricultural settings (www.curesworks.org). CURES
also works with California’s Watershed Coalitions to standardize their Watershed
Evaluation Reports and to keep the Coalitions informed. The organization has worked
with local organizations, such as the California Dried Plum Board and the Almond Board
of California, to address concerns about diazinon, pyrethroids, and sulfur. The CURES
site discusses alternatives to oprganophosphate dormant spray applications. It lists
pyrethroids and carbaryl as alternatives, but cautions that these compounds may impact
non-target organisms. For example, carbaryl is highly toxic to honeybees, so bees must
be removed from the area prior to application
In 2006, CDPR put limitations on dormant spay application of most insecticides in
orchards, in part to adequately protect aquatic life in the Central Valley region. While the
legislation was prompted by organophosphate use, limitations also apply to pyrethroids
and carbamates.
The CDPR publishes voluntary interim measures for mitigating the potential impacts of
pesticide useage to listed species. These measures are available online as county
bulletins (http://www.cdpr.ca.gov/docs/endspec/colist.htm). Measures that apply to
carbaryl, carbofuran, and methomyl use in salmonid habitat are:
• Do not use in currently occupied habitat
• Provide a 20 ft minimum strip of vegetation (on which pesticides should not
be applied) along rivers, creeks, streams, wetlands, vernal pools and stock
ponds, or on the downhill side of fields where runoff could occur. Prepare
land around fields to contain runoff by proper leveling, etc. Contain as much
water "on-site" as possible. The planting of legumes, or other cover crops for
several rows adjacent to off-target water sites is recommended. Mix
pesticides in areas not prone to runoff such as concrete mixing/loading pads,
disked soil in flat terrain or graveled mix pads, or use a suitable method to
contain spills and/or rinsate. Properly empty and triple-rinse pesticide
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