10 Ways to Lake Protection#
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1. Don't use lawn fertilizer that contains phosphorus.

2. Use the minimum amount of fertilizer recommended on the label—more is not necessarily better!

3. Water the lawn sparingly to avoid washing nutrients and sediments into the lake.

4. Don't feed ducks and geese near the lake. Waterfowl droppings are high in nutrients and may cause swimmer's itch.

5. Don't burn leaves and grass clippings near the shoreline. Nutrients concentrate in the ash and can easily wash into the lake.

6. Do not mow to the water's edge. Instead, allow a strip of natural vegetation (i.e., a greenbelt) to become established along your waterfront. A greenbelt will trap pollutants, provide wildlife habitat, and discourage nuisance geese from frequenting your property.

7. Infiltrate drainage from your downspouts rather than letting it flow overland to the lake (i.e., construct a rain garden).

8. Don't dump anything in area wetlands. Wetlands are nature's natural purifiers.

9. If you have a septic system, have your septic tank pumped every 2 to 3 years.

10. Don't be complacent—our collective actions will make or break the lake!

4/13/2007 10:06:04 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00) #     | 

 

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About The Authors
Tony Groves, Pam Tyning, and Paul Hausler have over 60 years of combined experience in the field of water resource management at Progressive AE. The information presented on this site is pertinent to the protection and management of Michigan's abundant water resources. This site will be updated periodically to display new information and guidance.
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