Ground squirrels in Jamestown being exterminated to prevent damage to city-owned infrastructure

Aug. 17—JAMESTOWN — Ground squirrels on city of Jamestown property are being exterminated in an effort to prevent any damage to the city’s infrastructure, according to Tyler Michel, public works director.

Michel said the city contracted with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is trying to get rid of as many ground squirrels as it can.

“We are doing what we can do on the city-owned property to try to get rid of them,” he said.

Michel said many ground squirrels are located in an area just south of the 3rd Street Southeast near where 12th Avenue Southeast was reconstructed.

“There are several different types (of ground squirrels) that are kind of filling the city-owned property there down by the old Porter Brothers (location),” he said.

Michel said the city wants to prevent any damage to infrastructure, pipes, wires and an underground water tank located in that area. He said he’s not aware of any damage so far to city infrastructure caused by ground squirrels.

Michel also said he’s heard about ground squirrels in the area west of SMP Health — Ave Maria at the former location of a BMX track. That area is managed by the Stutsman County Park Board and is not in city limits.

“I’ve heard from some people that they are starting to migrate into their yards to the south,” he said, referring to the former location of the BMX track.

He said flags have been placed in areas where ground squirrels are being exterminated to warn residents to keep their pets and children away from the area.

Michel said more residents have been calling city staff this year about the ground squirrels. He said city staff started noticing more ground squirrels about three years ago.

“It’s gotten worse, and it seems like toward the fall, we can get them down to just a few and then in the spring, they come back in big bunches,” he said. “… It really started getting to the city infrastructure probably about three years ago.”

He said it’s either the second or third time the city has entered a contract with the USDA to exterminate the ground squirrels.

Ground squirrels cause mostly environmental problems, according to Ashley Wolff, Stutsman County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources.

“They can create open grassy areas, holes in lawns, therefore over time turf management problems might become more of a challenge,” Wolff said.

She said ground squirrels can damage plants and trees and even irrigation lines. Wolff said ground squirrels can be “pests” that are challenging to control or get rid of. If residents notice more ground squirrels in their yards, she said they should keep their yards clean and pick up debris such as fallen produce from garden beds or apples from trees.

She recommended calling a pest-control person or exterminator for the use of chemicals, pesticides or fumigation. She said homeowners will need to make sure children or pets aren’t around the toxic chemicals.

Wolff said homeowners have tried both humane and non-humane traps for the ground squirrels. She said another method individuals may have tried is to use a water hose which rushes the ground squirrels out of the holes.

“However, they are still going to be around because they have more holes,” she said, referring to using a water hose. ” … They are going to come back because you probably have five more (holes) around the area and the one that’s going to pop out, it’s just going to go down another one.”

Wolff said natural rainfall also helps take away an environmental home for ground squirrels.

Michel said preventing ground squirrels is a resident’s responsibility. He said city residents should not use firearms to get rid of the ground squirrels