Taking care of our watershed

A watershed is the area—land and water defined by the hilltops and ridges where rain falls and runs to a common water body. Water,
sediments, and other dissolved material in a watershed drain to a common body of water such as a lake, river, or stream.

Everything that happens in a watershed affects water quality:
• Motor oil dumped down a storm drain
• Pesticides and fertilizers from farmlands
• Withdrawals of water for municipal and farm uses
• Sediments from construction projects
• Timber harvest on steep slopes
• Chemically treated lawns
• Sewage discharge, even pet waste can affect the health of rivers and streams

Understanding how our activities affect our watershed is an important start to protecting water quality.

All activities that occur within a watershed ultimately affect water quality. Enhancing watershed health requires
understanding your watershed and taking appropriate action to eliminate or control polluting activities.

Things you can do to protect your watershed:

•Plant trees wherever possible. Try and keep as many existing trees and shrubs as possible.

•Avoid planting lawn all the way to a stream. Leave trees or vegetation along the banks as a buffer.

•Keep use of pesticides away from rivers and streams. Try planting pest and disease-resistant plants.

•Place “Dump No Waste, Drains to Stream” markers by storm drains to serve as a constant reminder.

•When camping, use biodegradable soap and rinse dishes away from streams and lakes.

•Sweep driveways and patios clean instead of hosing them down.

•Fence livestock away from streams and wetlands. Make sure wastes can be dropped away from water bodies. Place salt licks away from stream banks.
•Tether riding stock away from surface water bodies like lakes and streams.

Additional resources are available below: