Flood Park to close weekly for ground squirrel control

Flood Park in Menlo Park will close every Wednesday from September 9 through the end of October to address a growing ground squirrel population. The closures affect all park facilities, including walking paths, sports courts, the multi-use field, and the bike pump track.

San Mateo County’s Parks and Recreation Department is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services Division to implement pest control measures. These efforts include setting live traps near burrows and using fumigation with sodium nitrate and charcoal. Officials stated that these methods are designed to be safe for the public and will not harm other wildlife, noting that no poison or bait boxes will be used.

The decision follows damage to trees and walkways caused by the rodents. Officials also noted that ground squirrels can carry diseases such as hantavirus and the bubonic plague, and have previously undermined park equipment.