Communities across Ohio are urging residents to “Be the Change for Clean Water” and take action during Stormwater Awareness Week, October 1 through 7.
The Lucas Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) has two classes scheduled with that theme in mind.
A make-and-take rain barrel workshop is set for Thursday, October 2, beginning at 4:30 p.m., at the SWCD office, 3350 Hill Avenue, Suite K, Toledo.
Participants get to make a rain barrel to connect to a downspout and collect rain water that can be used on plants and lawns. Cost is $40 per barrel. Space is limited.
A class on cover crops and water quality will be offered on Tuesday, October 7, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the district office.
This is the second class in the district’s soil health series. Attendees will learn about the benefits of using cover crops in the garden or on the farm and how it relates to water quality. The class is free to attend, but registration is encouraged.
To learn more about both events and to register, visit LucasS WCD.org/events.
Stormwater Awareness Stormwater can push common household items– such as trash, lawn fertilizer, or paint–into local waterways, threatening the environment and clean drinking water.
During Stormwater Awareness Week, soil and water conservation district’s throughout Ohio are urging residents to take one or more of the following actions:
•Pick up trash in the neighborhood or a local park. It can be a family game to see who can fill up a bag first.
•Check the weather report before applying fertilizer to a lawn or any oil or chemicals to driveways and sidewalks.
•Make sure lawns have three to four inches of topsoil under the grass. This will reduce runoff, as well as make lawns easier to maintain.
•Plant native plants that have deep roots, which will help break up clay soil and increase the amount of water remaining on a property while benefiting birds, butterflies and bees.
•Plant native trees or install a rain garden. Trees can soak up 900 gallons of rain a year and a well-designed rain garden almost entirely reduces stormwater runoff from a property.
Pollution left on roadways, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots drains directly to the streams and rivers. Simple actions can improve water quality and reduce stormwater runoff. Stormwater also can erode streams, which can cause flooding.
Each year, conservation districts investigate multiple sources of pollution and assists hundreds of homeowners concerned with stream erosion and flooding, all caused by stormwater runoff.
There is so much residents can do for clean water in Ohio. Take a moment at home and at work during the week of October 1 through 7 to make family and co-workers aware of what they can do to make Ohio a great place to live, work and play.
