Simple Tips for Cleaner Lakes

Around your home...

• Adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that employs a variety of pest control options such as selecting pest resistant plants, rotating crops and using biological controls, as well as pesti- cides, when needed. Contact your county extension office for additional IPM information.
• When using pesticides, read and follow direc- tions to protect people, pets and the environ- ment. The label is the law!!
• Use lawn and garden chemicals carefully. Read and follow all label directions. Explore using manual and biological pest control methods before resorting to chemical pesticides.
• Testing your soil can save you time, money and help prevent water pollution. Your soil may already contain a proper amount of nutrients to support a healthy lawn. Contact your County Extension Service agent for information on how to conduct a soil test of your lawn.
• After taking a soil test, purchase the proper fertilizer blend. Read the numbers on the fertilizer bag. The numbers “10-3-10” mean the blend contains 10% nitrogen, 3% phosphorus, and 10% potash.
• Remember, more is not better!! Never apply more fertilizer than your lawn needs—your lawn won’t grow any better, but algae and weeds in your lake will!! Excess nutrients can runoff and add to lake pollution.
• Choose appropriate types of turfgrass and groundcovers for your site’s soil, sunlight, and water conditions to minimize maintenance and fertilizer and pesticide use.
• Keep your mowing height high. Set your mower blade at 3 inches to provide a “taller” lawn that holds water better, requires less irrigation, and helps shade out weeds.
• Mow often enough to leave grass clippings on the lawn, and use a mulching mower if possible. Grass clippings actually promote healthy lawns by recycling nitrogen nutrients back to the grass—for free! Alternatively, use clippings as a mulch or compost them with leaves.
• Along lake shores, establish a “buffer strip” of dense, native vegetation to help filter pollutants, stabilize the shore edge and provide important wildlife habitat.
• Seed bare soil and cover it with mulch as soon as possible to minimize erosion. For major construc- tion projects and room additions, first check to see if a permit is needed. Take steps to disturb no more ground than needed.
• Never burn yard waste along the lakeshore. The ashes are quite high in nutrients and can easily washed into the lake.
• Use yard waste on-site as mulch or compost, or dispose of it properly off-site. Never dump yard wastes along or in a lake or tributary stream.
• Keep fallen leaves out of the ditch or street gutter.
• Clean up pet wastes to prevent nutrients and bacteria from washing into the lake.
• On icy pavement, use sand or chip the ice off when possible. If using salt, apply it sparingly.
• Direct roof downspouts away from driveways and foundations and toward your lawn or planting beds where the water can soak into the soil. Use a splash block directly below your downspouts to help prevent soil erosion. If erosion still occurs, attach some flexible, perforated plastic tubing to the downspout to diffuse the water flow.
• When it’s time to drain your pool, let the water sit a few days without chlorine before draining. This can prevent localized chlorine contamina- tion of your lake and other surface waters.
• Properly maintain your septic system. Have it inspected and pumped out regularly—at least every three years. Conserve water, and use water saving plumbing fixtures to maximize the septic system’s efficiency.
• Limit your overall use of toxic or hazardous products. Keep them away from drainage ditches, storm sewers, streams and lakes. Always properly dispose of toxic products— never dump them down the drain!
• Wash cars on the lawn so soapy water can be absorbed instead of running off into storm sewers.
• Keep your car well- maintained. Check for drips and repair leaks immediately.
• When you can, walk, bike, or take public transportation.
• Properly dispose of (or better yet, recycle) used motor oil and other automotive products.

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