Lawn Maintenance

A red tractor with a mowing attachment drives through a lush grassy field under a clear blue sky.

If you own a home, you may invest time and money in maintaining your lawn year after year. The ways in which you maintain it can affect the cleanliness and health of our rivers and creeks.

Review the following tips to maintain your lawn while helping reduce and prevent pollutants from entering storm drains when it rains.

Lawn Care Pollutants

The chemicals in fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides can pollute waterways if they are overused or dumped carelessly into the street. Stormwater runoff can carry these chemicals into rivers and creeks, harming fish and aquatic plants.

Grass or leaf clippings can also end up in waterways if they are swept, blown or dumped into the street instead of being disposed of properly or reused.

Tips for Cleaner Lawn Care

Use these tips when working on your lawn to help prevent pollutants from entering rivers and creeks:

Using Lawn Products
  • Purchase lawn products that are safer for the environment (look for non-toxic, organic or green-friendly labels).
    • Consider using organic fertilizers and pest control methods.
  • Buy only the amount of product you need to reduce waste and storage.
  • Follow directions on product labels and avoid using too much.
  • Dispose of household hazardous waste properly.
Mowing & Clipping
  • Never use lawn products before a rainstorm or windy day. You should also wait a day or two after a rainstorm for the excess rainwater to completely drain from your lawns before using a lawn product again.
  • Mow the top third of your grass and leave the clippings on the lawn. This may reduce the need to water and fertilize.
  • Mulch or compost grass clippings and leaves.
Debris Control
  • Keep grass clippings and leaves off streets and storm drains. Bag and dispose of yard waste properly.
  • Cover piles of dirt, soil and mulch from landscaping projects to keep them from washing or blowing into storm drains.

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