Shiawassee Conservation District

Hopefully most people are aware of the dangers of pouring oil, pesticides and other products into our storm drains or dumping them into our rivers. Now that leaf raking season is fast approaching, remember storm drains and rivers are no place for leaves either. Some people may think that leaves are from nature, so it can’t hurt the environment if they washed into the storm drain or if they are left along the river banks – right? Wrong. Many leaves will naturally fall into the water, but we should never put the leaves that fall on our lawn in a creek, river or stream. Excessive decaying leaves use up the water’s oxygen, harming the animals that live in the water. Storm drains are designed to take away water runoff. They collect excess water from rain events and move the untreated water into waterways such as the Shiawassee, Maple and Looking Glass Rivers.   When leaves and yard waste collect in the drain system, they block pipes, resulting in the flooding of our roads, waterways...

  The leaves are falling, temperatures are cooling, and many of us are preparing our homes for winter. Fall is a great time for cleaning up around the house, but let’s not forget to keep water quality in mind while doing so. There are sources of water pollution that are unique to autumn, such as yard wastes, excess fertilizers, and many others. We have prepared a list of pollution prevention tips so that you can help protect water quality this fall! Leave the leaves. Leaf litter and other yard wastes dumped into streets or local bodies of water can cause flooding and harmful nutrient overload. If you can, leave the leaves on your property; they make for great additions to compost piles or can be mulched into your lawn. If you can’t leave the leaves, check with your township or city for yard waste collection dates. Fertilize with care. Many homeowners fertilize their lawns and gardens in the fall to give them an extra boost before spring. If you plan on using fertilizers, make...