Polluting a river because you are lazy is not acceptable
I found out that the two rain barrels I’ve been waiting to install at my new house could prevent more than 3,400 gallons of run-off from reaching the James River. I need to stop putting that off before we get some real rain in Richmond. Installing just one 50-gallon rain barrel will reduce stormwater runoff […]
I found out that the two rain barrels I’ve been waiting to install at my new house could prevent more than 3,400 gallons of run-off from reaching the James River. I need to stop putting that off before we get some real rain in Richmond.
Installing just one 50-gallon rain barrel will reduce stormwater runoff by over 1,700 gallons a year. Plus, you save some water for your landscaping in the process, cutting back on your water bill.
How about installing 50 square feet of pervious pavement / pavers will reduce strom water runoff by 693 gallons annually? Nice one!
Want more suggestions for ways that you can take action and do your part to reduce your runoff and the pollution that enters your local stream and the James River? First, check www.whatsinyourrunoff.com, then learn more from the James River Association:
Runoff is any water that flows across the surface of the land. The main source of runoff is precipitation. However, anytime you wash your car or water your lawn you are creating runoff.
Runoff carries pollution including nutrients, chemicals and sediment into our waterways. Think about all the things that are on our roads and yards. Gas and oil from cars, fertilizers and pesticides from our yards, waste from our pets…runoff carries all of these things into our rivers and streams.
Chemicals and pesticides can be harmful to aquatic plants and animals. They can also be harmful to people that use the river for swimming or fishing. Excess nutrients from fertilizers and pet waste can lead to algae blooms. These blooms can cause the water to be cloudy, discolored or to have a bad odor. When the algae bloom dies the dissolved oxygen levels in the water drop. Low dissolved oxygen can often cause fish kills.
-
Recommend this
on Facebook -
Report an error
-
Subscribe to our
Weekly Digest
This article has been closed to further comments.