I just had the pleasure of hearing lots of raindrops falling on our roof. Whew – I thought it might never rain again. Driving out of the house to see the wet streets and plants perking up with the moisture was a welcome sight indeed. I may be imagining it, but I’d swear that my lawn was already greening up. We love a good soaking that provides enough water to green things up without causing major flooding.
While keeping the cat dry was my first priority, I quickly started thinking about the rain and what is means to local water quality.
While creeks and rivers depend on water for their very survival and the running water supports both aquatic life and the plants growing in the banks, the runoff from our properties can also bring a host of pollutants into our creeks.
Remember, stormwater isn’t filtered at a treatment plant and goes right from the gutter into our creeks and eventually out to the Bay.
Here are a few things to consider:
– Direct rain and runoff away from bare soil and slow it down when you can. Water running from gutter downspouts can erode our soil quite quickly and sediments are one of our primary water pollutants.
Direct rainwater to a lawn or other vegetated area, when possible, and provide retention ponds or puddles that allow the water to gather wherever you can.
– spraying pesticides when rain is expected. While pests like ants are sometimes drawn into our dry homes during the rainy season, there is no point in spraying pesticides around our homes when rain is expected.
The rain will quickly wash the poisons into the gutter and, you guessed it, into that nearby creek.
– Wait to fertilize until several days of dry weather is expected. Just like pesticides, fertilizers will be washed right off of your lawn and into the gutter with a heavy rain.
While nutrients are good for our landscapes, they aren’t good for our creeks and threaten wildlife habitat considerably.
Whenever you do fertilize, it is also important to avoid applying too much to the landscape in order to avoid pollutant runoff.
– Pickup promptly after your pet. Pet waste is a major source of bacteria in our local creeks and another threat to local wildlife. Removing it promptly from your yard during the rainy season is a key method of keeping it from polluting our creeks.
– Pickup spills and debris before the rain. Chemical spills, soaps, and all debris should be picked up promptly when rain is expected. These will all be carried quickly into our creeks.
Eco-Facts of the Week: There are some great nontoxic and less toxic ways to keep ants out of our homes. Give these a try instead of spray pesticides:
– Smash the scouts: You may sometimes see a solitary ant or even two roaming around inside of your home.
These are potentially “scout” ants sent out from the colony to look for food, water, or shelter. By stopping them during their mission, you are keeping them from reporting back to the colony and notifying the entire colony about the yummy items they found in your home.
– Use bait stations: Because bait stations contain a minimum amount of pesticide in a controlled container, they are less likely to release their poisons into the environment. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully to ensure their safety.
–n Make your home unattractive to ants: By picking up spills promptly, keeping food tightly sealed and keeping pet food unavailable to ants, you are reducing the chances of suffering from an infestation and much less likely to need to reach for the pesticide.
Eco-Web Page of the Week: The Santa Clara Valley Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program really has a great website complete with many tips for cleaner creeks and other green activities. Visit them at http://www.mywatershedwatch.org.
