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Phosphorus is THE nutrient that most often stimulates excessive growth of aquatic plants and algae, leading to a variety of problems collectively known as eutrophication. Once in a lake, a pound of phosphorus can generate hundreds of pounds of aquatic plants. Things you can do to keep phosphorus and other pollutants out of your lake are listed below:
IN GENERAL
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Rake and dispose of leaves away from the lake. Compost if possible. Do not burn leaves near shore. Nutrients concentrate in the ash and are easily washed into the lake.
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Avoid using pesticides near the lake, many are toxic to aquatic life.
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Where possible, promote infiltration of stormwater into the ground. Build a rain garden in low areas to capture runoff from driveways and downspouts. More on rain gardens:
www.raingardens.org -
To reduce runoff, maintain trees, shrubs, and ground cover. Also, wash your car on your lawn instead of your driveway.
FERTILIZER
If you don't use fertilizer, don't start now. If you do...
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Don't use fertilizer that contains phosphorus unless a soil test shows a need for it.
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Fertilizers are labeled with a 3-number system that indicates the percentage of the bag that contains nitrogen (first number), phosphorus (second number) and potassium (third number). Example: a 50-pound bag of 20-0-10 fertilizer contains 20% nitrogen (or 10 pounds), 0% phosphorus, and 10% potassium (5 pounds).
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When spreading fertilizer, don't allow fertilizer to fall directly in the water.
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Lightly water after fertilizer is applied. Too much water will cause the fertilizer to leach right past the lawn and into the lake; the turf roots will never get a chance to use it.
LAWN CARE
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Don't cut the grass too short! Near lakes, a mowing height of 3 to 3 inches or higher is recommended.
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Return grass clippings back to the lawn. You can reduce the nitrogen needs of your lawn significantly by doing so. If possible, use a mulching lawn mower to aid in this process.
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If you use a professional lawn care service, be sure to request a fertilizer that does not contain phosphorus.
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Irrigation during the hot, dry period of late summer can prevent the grass from turning brown. At that time, it's better to water for short periods (10 to 15 minutes) daily, rather than heavy watering once per week.
GREENBELT
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A greenbelt is a strip of land along the lakeshore that contains plants to trap pollutants that would otherwise wash into the lake.
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A greenbelt should be at least 10 feet wide, but more than 30 feet wide is best.
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Don't fertilize the greenbelt.
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For a natural look, don't mow the greenbelt. Allow natural grasses and wildflowers to grow.
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For a landscaped look, plant groundcovers, ferns, perennials, and shrubs.
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Remember: Canada geese will often avoid properties with greenbelts.