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The Perfect Landscape
You can create a beautiful outdoor space and protect our waters

A gorgeous home landscape does not need to come at the price of clean lakes, rivers, and streams. We can have both. To make it happen, we all need to think a little differently.

Less hard surfaces

The more concrete or blacktop your property has, the more water will run off the property and into storm drains and ditches. 75% more rain water sinks into the ground in a natural versus developed area. Stormwater that flows from developed areas also carries oil, grease, fertilizer, bacteria, exhaust particles, and more.

Planning for minimal hard surface on your property makes good sense. Consider the amount of runoff that will be generated by roofs, pavements, and sidewalks. Focus on natural plantings to slow water and allow it to filter into the ground rather than becoming runoff. Where needed, install pavers or bricks that allow water to sink in the ground.

Minimizing runoff reduces damage to your property and others down stream. It may also save you money if you live in a city that has a stormwater utility, since stormwater utility fees are based on the amount of runoff your property sends to the storm sewer system.

rain gardens

Rain gardens are slight depressions in a yard that acts as receiving areas for rain water that runs off your roof and downspouts. Rain gardens capture rainwater before it picks up oil, grease, fertilizer, pet waste, or other contaminants. Rain gardens replenish groundwater by infiltrating runoff, rather than passing it into the stormwater sewer. Often they are planted with native plants that thrive on moisture, but can withstand a dry period too.

rain barrels

A rain barrel captures water that flows from a roof through downspouts. Commonly, the rain barrel is a 55-gallon drum designed specifically to hold water without creating a mosquito breeding habitat. A tight fitting lid, seal for the downspout, and filtered overflow valve all overflow water to move away from the rain barrel.

Northeast Wisconsin Stormwater Consortium (NEWSC) P.O. Box 1861 Appleton, WI 54912 l 920.851.4336
RenewOurWaters.org

Stormwater is rain or snowmelt and water from things people do, like washing the car or watering the lawn. As water makes its way to the storm drain it picks up pollutants like oil from car leaks and bacteria from pet waste. When we choose products carefully and dispose of products properly, we can greatly reduce the amount of pollution that enters our local waters through runoff.

Untreated runoff is the biggest threat to our nation’s water quality, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Let’s make the small, important changes that will reduce that threat and improve water quality and our lives!

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The post The Perfect Landscape appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/18/the-perfect-landscape/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-perfect-landscape

Alyssa Reinke

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In: In your yard, Row
Good Dog, Good Owner
You can be a responsible pet owner and protect our waters

 

Your dog brings a lot of joy to your life. Enjoying your four legged friend doesn’t need to come at the price of clean water. We can have both, but to make that happen, we all need to think a little differently

More to waste than meets the eye

Pet waste is not only an unpleasant find on a yard or sidewalk, it also carries bacteria that causes beach closings in the summer.

FILTER WASTEWATER

Before dumping your dirty water into the sanitary sewer, filter the water to make sure that any fiber or debris does not go down the drain. Debris in the wash water can clog the pipes. Dispose of the filtered material in the garbage, provided that the carpet was not contaminated with hazardous materials.

Campylobacteriosis and Salmonellosis are often the cause of the “24-hour bug”. They are transferred through fecal material from an infected person or animal

Toxoplasmosis is carried by a single-celled parasite that lives in infected animal feces (typically cats). In pregnant women, it can pass through the umbilical cord to the unborn fetus, causing serious abnormalities.

Waste Disposal

Prevent bacteria in our streams by carrying small plastic bags when walking your dog. Collect droppings, tie a knot in the bag, and dispose of it properly. Do not throw pet waste down a sewer.

At home, pick up pet waste often. Even waste in your backyard can pollute local waterways. You can flush the waste down the toilet or put it in your trash can (be sure to check your local ordinances first!).

Northeast Wisconsin Stormwater Consortium (NEWSC) P.O. Box 1861 Appleton, WI 54912 l 920.851.4336
RenewOurWaters.org

Stormwater is rain or snowmelt and water from things people do, like washing the car or watering the lawn. As water makes its way to the storm drain it picks up pollutants like oil from car leaks and bacteria from pet waste. When we choose products carefully and dispose of products properly, we can greatly reduce the amount of pollution that enters our local waters through runoff.

Untreated runoff is the biggest threat to our nation’s water quality, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Let’s make the small, important changes that will reduce that threat and improve water quality and our lives!

—

—

The post Good Dog, Good Owner appeared first on Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Original Article

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance

https://fwwa.org/2023/07/18/good-dog-good-owner/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=good-dog-good-owner

Alyssa Reinke