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 beauty that comes with a fresh snowfall is unmatched. However, it doesn’t take long in Michigan for the temperatures to fluctuate and create rapid snow melt. Just like when rain falls during the rest of the year, melting snow turns into stormwater runoff too! Just as heavy rains wash across our yards, driveways, and parking lots, melting snow does the same thing. While washing across these surfaces, the melting snow picks up any pollutants it encounters and then is transported UNTREATED through storm drains into our nearby rivers, ponds, and lakes. So, any trash, oil, gasoline, or salt you notice on your driveway or local store parking lot can be swept away with melting snow and deposited directly into nearby water. Because of the time of year, snow melt has its own unique stormwater problems. The ground is often frozen at the surface, so the melting snow cannot infiltrate the ground like rainwater can. This creates a higher chance of flooding, either on your property or thro...

  Keeping nutrients on your field is just as important as keeping them out of our waterways. The same nutrients that are essential for crop growth and profitability are the same nutrients that endanger water when they escape from the field. Sediment, organic matter, fertilizers, and pesticides are all nutrients that can come from farm fields and be transported to water either through erosion or storm runoff. Resource management is not a “one fits all” method. It is best to come up with a practice plan that is specific to your farm and goals. Effective agricultural management requires knowledge of how nutrients move across the land and the impact they have. Luckily, there are many management practices to help protect water and keep nutrients on the land. A soil test is a good starting point. A nutrient management plan can be developed from the soil test results. Following the plan will help keep nutrients on the field and out of the water by following the right rate, at the righ...

  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...