Action Items for Homeowners
There are many things we can do at home to reduce our impact on our local watershed, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay. To achieve this we need to make small changes in the way we maintain our homes/yards and in our daily activities that reduce our pollution, storm water volume, water use, and how we manage our septic systems. Here are some links and publications to help you get started.
Reducing pollutants: Water running off our lawns, roads, and other surfaces picks up nutrients, bacteria, and chemicals, carries them to storm drains in the roads, and then deposits them directly into streams in our watershed. These pollutants can cause a variety of problems for living things — including humans — that live in or interact with our streams. For example, extra nutrients from fertilizer cause too much algae to grow, which robs the water of oxygen and makes it uninhabitable for fish, snails, and other stream organisms. If the stream isn’t a healthy habitat for these critters, this in turn affects animals that are higher in the food web, like mammals and birds.
Detox Your Home – This poster colorfully illustrates things you can do to cut back on the use of dangerous chemicals in both your home and in your yard.
Calculate Your Nitrogen Footprint – The Chesapeake Bay Foundation now offers a way to calculate how much nitrogen you contribute to the Bay watershed. Find out more about this unique tool.
Integrated Pest Management - A Homeowner's Guide – Integrated Pest Management (IPM), as the name implies, is the integration of various management strategies-including biological, cultural and chemical methods-into a comprehensive program of pest control for the home landscape that minimizes the use of chemical pesticides.
10 Things You Can Do To Save the Bay – This colorful poster outlines ten simple changes you can make in your home, in your yard, and at your table to help lessen pollution in our waterways.
Simple Ways to Help the Bay – More than 15 million people live in the 64,000 square mile Chesapeake Bay watershed. Each one lives only a few minutes from one of the 100,000 streams and rivers that feed the Bay. Each time a citizen turns on a light, washes the dishes, drives a car, takes out the trash, fertilizes the lawn, changes the oil or walks a dog, a chain of events occurs that can affect local waterways and the Bay. This web page developed by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay presents ways for residents to reduce air and water pollution caused by nutrient & sediments, energy consumption, and household chemicals.
Fertilize Smart - Lee County, Florida - Ordinance regulates landscape management practices and sets rules for the application and use of fertilizers that contain Nitrogen or Phosphorus. Provides guidance on how to fertilize smart.
Living on Karst - VA DCR reference guide for landowners in karst areas. Residents of karst areas need to be aware of how day-to-day activities affect the groundwater and fragile ecosystems in their karst regions.
Southeast Watershed Assistance Network - Clearinghouse for land and water protection resources.
Best Nonpoint Source Documents - US EPA list of some of the best nonpoint source materials for both professionals and the public. Categorized by source e.g. agriculture, urban, etc.
Reducing storm water volume: Another major problem for the streams in our watersheds is the sheer volume of storm water that flows into them. As the land becomes more and more developed, impervious surfaces like roads, parking lots, driveways and rooftops generate more and more runoff. Because there are fewer and fewer vegetated areas, there is less and less infiltration of rainwater. Storm water from all parts of a watershed is concentrated in the storm drain system and carried to our streams at very high speeds. When the water finally reaches the streams, it blasts adjacent stream channels, causing them to become wider and deeper. The soil eroded from stream banks during storms smothers aquatic habitat. Over time, this sediment is carried downstream to Chesapeake Bay, where it combines with sediment from other urban streams in the Bay. Sediment is one reason that the Bay is unhealthy.
Clean Water Home Management Plan - While specific to St. Louis, this document provides homeowners with a good overview of thinking in a watershed context and offers guidance on assessing personal impacts on water quality. St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District.
Backyard Buffers - Citizen's guide to creating, managing, and protecting riparian buffers. Includes plant and landscaping information. Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
RainScaping.org – website that contains detailed information about RainScaping, a set of practices that homeowners and communities can use to “slow it down, spread it out and soak it in.” Includes directions on how to build a rain garden, lists and photos of plants native to the Chesapeake region, and where to order a rain barrel.
Greenacres - Green Landscaping - Resources for landscaping with native plants. Landscaping with native plants improves the environment. Native plants are hardy because they have adapted to the local conditions. Once established, native plants do not need pesticides, fertilizers, or watering. By eliminating or minimizing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, these pollutants will not run-off into streams, lake, and bays. Not only is this good for the environment, it saves time and money. A native landscape does not need to be mowed like a conventional lawn. This reduces the demand for non-renewable resources and improves the water and air quality. US EPA.
Only Rain Down the Drain - Runoff reduction resources for homeowners. Northern Virginia Clean Water Partners.
Taking Care of Stormwater - This guide is designed to help homeowners understand and implement practices such as rain gardens and rain barrels in their backyard and community to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff within their own local watershed. Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay.
Citizens Guide to Stormwater Management in Maryland - Citizen's guide to environmental impacts of stormwwater, regulations, evolution of stormwater management, and evaluating and solving common stormwater problems. Chespeake Bay Foundation.
Backyard Forests (Homeowners Guide to Creating and Maintaining a Backyard Forest) - The Backyard Forests brochure provides information on how any homeowner, who owns ten acres or less, can create a new forest or manage an existing forested tract on their property. Included in the brochure are handy tips on how to design a backyard forest, choose and plant native plants, develop a management plan, and where to go for technical assistance. This brochure was developed in tandem with the Forestry for the Bay voluntary web-based program promoting sustainable forest management to help improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
More information on stormwater can be found on the Stormwater Resources and Local Government pages.
Reducing water consumption: Water that we consume in our watershed eventually flows back into the watershed, either through septic systems, wastewater treatment plants, or untreated via our storm drains. Using less tap water prevents unnecessary chemical treatment and disposal from the treatment plant, and saves you money on your water bill. By not overwatering your yard, you can help prevent too much water — and pollutants — from entering the streams in the watershed.
Rain Barrels: A Capital Idea in Capturing and Reusing Roof Runoff - Rain barrels are a centuries-old technique used to collect rainwater from rooftops for later use. This publication covers the benefits, pre-installation tips, instructions and maintenance tips for installing a rain barrel.
BayScaping to Conserve Water - A Homeowner's Guide - In some households as much as 40 percent of the water used each month finds its way into the landscape, so future fresh water supplies depend upon wise outdoor water use.
100 Indoor Water Saving Tips – Link describing simple, practical ideas to save water in your home from the Water – Use it Wisely campaign.
H2ouse.org Tour: Take this virtual home tour to find all the ways you can save water in each room of your home.
Being a responsible septic system owner: Did you know that the majority of the domestic wastewater in the Eastern Panhandle is treated by septic systems? Recommended practices for those with septic systems include septic system pumping, advanced treatment systems, and connecting to centralized wastewater treatment.
National Environmental Services Center (NESC) – Septic Systems page. Contains valuable fact sheets, guides, and other resources on the “ins” and “outs” of septic systems.
USEPA Septic System Information for Homeowners - Helpful information for homeowners for maintaining their septic (onsite) wastewater treatment systems.
More information on managing septic systems can be found on the Local Government page..
Even kids can get involved! There are many ways young people can help protect and restore their local watershed and the Chesapeake Bay every day. Learn about them using the resources below.
EPA Non-Point Source Kid’s Page – Contains watershed-themed games, puzzles, and other activities for kids of all ages.
What Goes Down the Drain? – This fun brochure was designed mainly for fourth and fifth graders who want to find out what they can do to help stop pollutants from flowing into the Bay, and it includes word scrambles, trivia questions, and other games.
Watershed Protection At School – While you may spend your summers swimming, boating or simply enjoying the local rivers and creeks, heading into the classroom each fall doesn't mean you should forget about the region's waterways. Here's a small sampling of things you can do to reduce your impact on the natural environment while hitting the books at school.
Bay Fun – Visit this simple kids (adults, you're welcome too!) section for some fun and interesting things to do! Check out our puzzles, games, photos, facts, coloring books and underwater cams!
Placemat: "Take the Stormwater Challenge" – Provides a fun learning opportunity for middle school children and can be used to generate classroom discussion or further exploration of water pollution issues.