Do you have a lot of hard surfaces around your property? Consider shredding your leaves or raking them into your garden; especially in areas that have storm drains or are near to a body of water. As leaves decompose, they create excess phosphorous and nitrogen which leads to algae growth the next year. Leaves are a great over-winter fertilizer for your lawn and garden, but consider mulching them or spreading them out to minimize fly away leaves and dead spots.

It may not seem like a big deal but pet waste builds up. Waste also contains bacteria that affects water quality like e.coli. The simple act of cleaning up after your pets can make a huge difference in the water that runs to stormwater management systems and downhill to streams.

Over-use of fertilizers, and the wrong types of fertilizers, can lead to excess nutrients in all types of water sources. Always check your fertilizer labels for application information and look for alternatives for fertilizer use!