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Test how much you know about lawn care practices that help keep our waters clean.
Click for larger view.
What's wrong with this picture? Nothing!
But compare it with this picture:
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The top picture illustrates many of the practices that you'll read about on our lawn care pages that prevent pollution.
The bottom picture below is another story. It shows at least eight instances of household practices that can cause pollution.
How many practices that can pollute our surface- and groundwater can you spot? Answers are below. (Don't peek.)
Answers
- Grass clippings blown into street and storm drain. From there, they are washed into surface waters where their high phosphorus levels can pollute streams, rivers and lakes. Mulching mower in top picture returns clippings to lawn where they belong.
- Leaves raked into street also end up in storm drain, causing pollution.
- Boy using rotary spreader leaves fertilizer on paved surface where it will get washed into storm drain, causing pollution. Drop spreader in top picture is a better option.
- Weak turf by corner of driveway leaves soil unprotected. Sediment can wash into storm drain causing pollution.
- Sprinkler left unattended overwaters "dog walk" area. In top picture, girl cleans up after dog promptly, before feces can damage turf or get washed into storm drain.
- Woman overwaters lawn causing runoff down driveway. In top picture, she is using a coffee can to measure how much water will infiltrate into lawn before runoff occurs. That way, she can calculate how long she can run sprinklers without overwatering lawn.
- Fluids from leaky van and improperly stored and handled products in the garage are washed down the driveway and into storm drain causing pollution.
- Downspout from house discharges into driveway, washing pollutants and soil from weak turf along the edge of the driveway into the storm sewer. Better option in top picture is to discharge in spot where water can soak into the soil while moving away from house.
Actually, there is something wrong with the first picture. There is water coming out of the downspout on the right side of the house on what appears to be a dry, sunny day.
© Copyright, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University.
Website design: Craig Cramer cdc25@cornell.edu
Mention of trade names and commercial products is for educational purposes; no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by Cornell Cooperative Extension or Cornell University is implied. Pesticide recommendations are for informational purposes only and manufacturers' recommendations change. Read the manufacturers' instructions carefully before use. Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University assumes no responsibility for the use of any pesticide or chemicals. Some of the links provided are not maintained by Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University. Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University are not responsible for information on these websites. They are included for information purposes only and no endorsement by Cornell Cooperative Extension or Cornell University is implied. Cornell Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.
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