How To Help

UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUES AND CREATING SOLUTIONS

Problem: Stormwater runoff
Stormwater runoff is a major source of water pollution. Dirt, chemicals and other pollutants on buildings and roads are washed off during storms into storm drains that lead to our local streams and rivers. During rain, polluted water from our streets is flooding our creeks, eroding stream banks, washing away natural stream habitats and fouling stream ecosystems. In many places, rainwater also overloads sanitary sewer pipes, causing them to discharge raw sewage into our streams.

Solution: Reducing Stormwater Runoff
Plants and soil absorb rainwater. They naturally reduce flooding and filter pollutants out of the water. Natural stormwater management methods rely on plants, trees and soil to filter rainwater and reduce flow into storm drains and sewers. These techniques beautify neighborhoods and parks and improve the health of our waterways while reducing strain on municipal sanitary and drinking water systems.

Actions:

• Plant a vegetable, rain or rooftop garden.
• Raise potted plants on paved areas.
• Let lawns grow taller and minimize use of fertilizer and chemicals.
• Install a rain barrel at your home to catch rainwater from your use. Rainwater can be used to water lawns and gardens— and saves you money!
• During rain, avoid high water usage activities like washing dishes, showering and laundry.
• Convert your roof into a green roof.

Problem: Negligence
Most people don’t realize that storm drains on the streets lead directly to our creeks. Chip bags, candy wrappers, gum and cigarette butts discarded on the sidewalks or out of car windows ultimately make their way from the street through the storm drain system and into the creek. In addition, motor oil, antifreeze and windshield wiper fluid from cars, and salt and sand from road treatments make the same journey and eventually wind up damaging our waterways.

Solution: Awareness
Residents, businesses and city government must recognize this problem and promote alternatives to careless littering and polluting through educational campaigns. Municipalities should also make an effort to provide appropriate trash receptacles in public places.

Actions:

• Place trash in trash receptacles, not in storm drains or on the ground.
• Fix cars that leak oil or antifreeze onto the pavement.
• Dispose of dog waste in the trash or toilet instead of the street where it washes into storm drains and puts bacteria in the creek.
• In winter, use less salt on driveways and sidewalks. Mix it with sand to help with traction.
• Recycle your electronics ethically— don’t leave them on the curb or send them to a landfill where they leak toxic chemicals into our land and waterways.

Problem: Misused Green Spaces
Unfortunately, urban green spaces are sometimes used for illegal activities, such as illegal dumping. This is not only unhealthy for the natural stream habitat, but it makes the parks unattractive and unhealthy for people who want to enjoy the city’s natural areas. Reckless ATV use destroys native plants and erodes stream banks, and graffiti damages trees and can contribute to an unsafe feeling for other park users.

Solution: Legal Use
Parkland surrounding our creeks provides natural areas that can be used for walking, biking, picnicking and recreating. With increased use and vigilance, illegal activities can be reduced.

Actions:

• Be sure to drive ATVs only in approved areas, not in local parks.
• Volunteer with a local environmental or park group to help with stream clean-ups and water quality monitoring, or restoration projects.

Problem: Invasive Plants
Invasive plants have a devastating effect on local streams. Shallow-rooted invasives (Japanese Knotweed, Garlic Mustard, Lesser Celandine) invade creekside areas, crowding out long-rooted native plants and contributing to soil erosion, loss of biodiversity and stream habitat degradation. Without the long roots of native plants to stabilize the soil along the edges of the creeks, stream banks erode at an alarming rate. Soil from erosion kills the insect larvae that feed our native fish. Erosion widens streams and undercuts trees that provide crucial shade. This ultimately creates a wider, shallower, warmer creek that cannot sustain the native fish and aquatic life that thrive in deeper, cooler waters.

Solution: Native Plants
Long-rooted native plants (Trout Lily, Bloodroot) stabilize the soil along the edges of the creeks and provide healthy habitat for native insects, fish and plant populations. Removing invasives and replacing them with native plants provides the proper conditions for beautiful and healthy stream ecosystems that can be enjoyed by wildlife and city residents alike.

Actions:

• Plant more native trees, plants, and gardens, especially along stream banks.
• Learn what plants are invasive and remove them from your property.
• Replace lawn grass with a native wildflower meadow.
• Volunteer with a local environmental or park group to help remove invasives or work on stream restoration projects.

Problem: Wasteful Water Usage
When we flush excess tapwater down our drains, we are wasting a precious resource. Our tax dollars and a lot of energy go into making that water potable, and additional money and resources go into cleaning it again after it has been flushed into the sanitary sewer system. Most of our sewer pipes are over 100 years old and are no longer water-tight. Although municipalities are working to repair them, sanitary sewer line repair is a big, slow, expensive and disruptive job. Extra water entering the pipes causes more wear and tear, more overflows, and more problems.

Solution: Water Conservation
By decreasing the amount of wastewater entering into the pipes, we can help the pipes last longer, decrease the flow of wastewater through cracks into the land, and help minimize the overflow of sewage into our streams during rain.

Actions:

• Use water-saving appliances like low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets.
• Run water only when you use it. Practice turning off the faucet between rinses while you brush your teeth or wash dishes.
• If your toilet tank is large, put a water-filled glass gallon jug in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used per flush.
• Take shorter showers. Use a timer to help keep to your limit.
• Fix leaks in fixtures—faucets and showerheads—or pipes. A leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month!
• When using a dishwasher or laundry machine, save water and energy by always running a full load.
• Instead of dumping unconsumed water down the drain, water your houseplants with last night’s water glass or Rover’s leftover water bowl.
• Water your garden with rainwater — attach a rain barrel to your downspout.
• Fill your garden with native plants that require less water than exotics.

For more ways to help solve all of these problems, please see our complete list of watershed resources.