Do your part
How you can help do your part!
Who cares about streams anyway?
Did you know that you live in a watershed? We all do. A watershed is an area of land that catches rain and melt water and drains to the lowest point, usually a stream or a bay. To ensure the sustainability of the ecosystems in which we live, it is important that these waterways (and the plants and animals that call them home) remain healthy.
Potential pollutants!
You might not realize it, but everything you do in your day-to-day life impacts the streams in your watershed. Every time you fertilize your lawn, neglect spilled oil or antifreeze, or even when you wash your car, you could unknowingly be contributing to pollution in nearby streams and rivers. Water from rain, storm drains, and ditches flows directly to streams and bays with little or no treatment. Storm drains and ditches are DIFFERENT than sewage pipes. They are NOT CONNECTED to a treatment plant. Some of the common causes of water pollution are:
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Reference – www.flinttrading.com
Pesticides
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Chemical fertilizers
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Silt and gravel runoff
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Animal waste (dogs, horses, ducks, etc.)
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Oil products, antifreezes & soap
- Improper storage of organic & non-organic waste (compost, litter, etc.)
Runoff from animal waste can be a significant source of bacterial contamination in a watershed. “2-3 days worth of droppings from 100 dogs would contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay to swimming and shell fishing” (US EPA, ’93).
Fertilizers and animal waste promote overabundant growth of algae and aquatic weeds, which can deplete oxygen levels and limit the water depth to which sunlight can penetrate, making it difficult for fish to breathe and see. Silt and gravel that enter a stream can cloud the water, making it hard for fish to locate prey items. Silt can also clog the gills of fish, suffocating them. Harmful substances like oil and pesticides, and even soap from washing your car, drain into streams and contaminate the water.
HOW YOU CAN HELP!
HOUSEHOLD
- Try to reduce the amount of hazardous material in and around your home.
LAWNCARE
- Use pesticides sparingly. Excessive use of pesticides may pollute streams, eliminate natural predators, encourage resistance to pesticides, and kill beneficial insects, earthworms and other organisms.
- Use a push mower. Gas mowers can pollute as much as a car. You’ll cut noise, save money and get more exercise. Leave short grass clippings on the lawn as natural fertilizer.
- Choose fertilizers that are high in nitrogen and do not contain heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead and nickel). Do not apply fertilizer if rain is expected within 24 hours.
SLOW AND FILTER RUNOFF
- Point downspouts away from paved areas or collect the water from your roof in a rain barrel and use it to water your lawn.
- Instead of pavement, use bricks or blocks set in sand, gravel, or woodchips to allow rainfall to be absorbed into the ground.
SOAPS
- If you hand wash your car or boat, park it on grass so cleaning products can filter through the soil and vegetation.
- Try using water pressure alone to remove dirt and grime.
- Dump wash buckets into your garden or on your lawn, not down the street or onto your driveway.
CARS
- Regularly maintain your vehicle and repair leaks.
- Never dump car fluids into a storm drain, ditch or onto the ground.
- Properly dispose of motor oil, antifreeze, paint and other toxic materials.
WATERFRONT PROPERTIES
- A riparian buffer or “green belt” is the vegetation along a stream bank. Natural, undisturbed watercourses are lined with a community of native plants that provide shade for the stream and stabilize the banks.
- Create a riparian buffer of native plants between your lawn and the watercourse to protect your property and keep the stream water clean and healthy.
For more Information or tips call the SSRDP Staff at Clean Nova Scotia…
