A United Community for a Healthy Watershed

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP!

Whether you live on water in the watershed or not, there are many things you can do as a property owner or visitor to help protect the water quality in our rivers or lakes.

1.      If you own property that is on a river or a lake in the watershed please consider the following:

  • Maintain at least a 6’ wide buffer strip at the waters edge. This will help control runoff and lawn chemicals that will make their way into the waterbody.

  • Consider using less lawn chemicals especially near the water’s edge. Talk to your landscaping firm if you use one about safer chemical treatment.

  • Do not blow or dump grass clippings and/or leaves into the water. Both contain high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen which will feed and grow algae.

  • If your septic system is aging have it checked regularly to make sure there is no leakage of septage into the waterbody.

  • Make an effort to use alternatives to salt for ice control. Sand or kitty litter are just a couple alternatives. Salt levels are rising in our watershed and in most waterbodies in the US. If not controlled this will eventually affect the health of our water ecosystems.

  • If you hire a firm to apply salt for your home or commercial property, request them to be mindful of salt application. Avoid paying by the pound for salt application.

2.      If you own property in the watershed in general :

  • Never use fertilizer with phosphorus unless absolutely needed.

  • Allow grass clippings to stay on your lawn. The nitrogen and phosphorus will feed your grass.

  • Consider mulching leaves in the fall. The phosphorus will be a great natural fertilizer for your lawn.

  • Consider rain barrels for use in watering planting beds during dry periods.

  • Start a compost pile for plant waste from inside and outside of your house. Doing so will reduce hauled waste and provide a great source of good quality soil for good quality planting beds.

3.      If you use the waters of the watershed for recreation:

  • LEAVE NO TRACE of your activities – take all trash you generate with you when you leave.

  • Be considerate of other boaters – keep wakes at a minimum when near.

  • Observe all no wake areas.  At minimum this includes the 100’ no wake zone from any shoreline. If wake boating stay far enough away from shorelines and docs so your wake does not reach them. Shoreline erosion and aquatic plant disturbance from wakes of powerboats is an increasing problem.

  • Never release live bait into the water.

  • Check your boat for “hitchhikers” when leaving any water body. Remove all weeds at the launch. Drain live wells if going to another lake.

Thank you for making a positive impact in the watershed!