Notes

Outline

Watershed Education prepared by the Center for Watershed Protection www.cwp.org

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Since Leopold’s Day……. 50 million new households 45 million more yards 125 million cars and trucks 15 million septic systems 25 million dogs

In This Presentation Why watershed education is necessary Challenges in watershed education Increasing the effectiveness of watershed outreach Tips for developing an outreach strategy

Watershed Education is necessary because…

Watershed Education is mandated by the U.S. EPA Three of the six minimum management measures under the NPDES Phase II regulations are directly involved with watershed education:  Public education and outreach  Public involvement/participation  Pollution prevention/good housekeeping

Watershed Education Challenges The public is still only dimly aware of the watershed concept Many pollutant producing behaviors are fairly common and there are a lot of minds to change Many programs have inadequate watershed education resources The most affordable marketing techniques don’t reach many people

The Public is Not Really Sure What a Watershed Is

Watershed Awareness:  Perceptions vs. Reality     68% of Americans rate themselves as having at least a fair amount of environmental knowledge HOWEVER Only 1 in 5 (22%) Americans correctly identify runoff as the most common pollutant of streams, rivers and oceans Less than half (41%) know what “watershed” means

There Are a Lot of Minds to Change

Conservative Estimates of U.S. Polluters

Results of the CWP Survey of Chesapeake Bay Resident Behaviors The next series of slides looks at five common pollutant-producing behaviors: Frequent Fertilizers Poor Pooch Scoopers Chronic Car Washers Septic Slackers Bad Mechanics

Frequent Fertilizers There are 20-30 million acres of lawn in the U.S. If lawns were a crop, they’d rank fifth on the basis of area Nutrient runoff from lawns can cause eutrophication in streams, lakes & estuaries 52% of people who fertilize OVER-fertilize Only 10-20% of lawn owners perform soil tests first

Regional Residential Insecticide & Herbicide Use

Poor Pooch Poop Scoopers 41% of people own dogs Of dog walkers, 41% admit they rarely       or never clean up Of these, 44% would not clean up even with a fine, complaints, collection or disposal methods However, 63% agreed that pet wastes contribute to water quality problems

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Chronic Car Washers 55-70% of households wash their own cars 60% are “chronic car washers” who wash their car at least once a month 70-90% report that their wash water drains directly to the street and eventually, the storm drain

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Bad Mechanics Only 30% of car owners change their own fluids Of these, 80% claim to dispose/recycle their fluids properly Only 1-5% dump oil and antifreeze into the storm drain

Inadequate Resources Available for Watershed Education

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Annual Budget for Nutrient Education Programs

Staff Time Devoted to Nutrient Education

Current Outreach Methods May Not Be Most Effective

Outreach Methods Used vs. Those Preferred by Residents

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Increasing the Effectiveness of Watershed Outreach

Three Factors Influencing Watershed Education Effectiveness

Most Effective Outreach Techniques Media Campaigns: Use a mix of radio, TV, direct mail, and signs to send a general message to a large audience Cost a few cents per resident reached Intensive Training: Uses workshops, consultations, and guidebooks to send a more complex message to a focused audience Costs a few dollars for each resident reached

Effective Targeted Media Campaigns

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Example of the Benefits of Watershed Education on Pollutant Reduction

Intensive Training Programs

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Pesticide Reductions From the Lake Harriet Watershed Awareness Campaign

8 Tips for Effective  Watershed Outreach Develop a stronger connection between the yard, the street, the storm and the stream. Form regional media campaigns. Use a variety of outreach methods. Use television wisely. Tailor message to watershed demographics. Keep the message short and funny. Make info packets small, slick and durable. Educate private sector allies.

Living the Watershed Ethic DO regularly inspect & clean septic systems. DON’T apply fertilizer or pesticides to lawns. DO minimize turf area. DO replace lawns with native vegetation. DO cultivate lawns to absorb runoff from roofs. DON’T use hoses or leaf blowers near streets or storm drains. DO properly dispose of wastes from pets & hobby livestock.

Living the Watershed Ethic DO choose where you live to reduce the miles we travel & prevent sprawl. DO choose low-emissions vehicles. DO be sensible in water use. DON’T wash cars in streets and driveways - use a commercial car wash, or wash cars on lawns with phosphorus-free detergents. DO follow proper maintenance recommendations for stormwater practices, buffers or conservation areas.

Five Tips for Developing an Outreach Strategy

1. Establish a framework for watershed education

2. Identify specific objectives of outreach effort

3. Identify target audiences

4. Implement the plan

4. Implement the plan (cont’d)

5. Assess plan effectiveness

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Now You’re Ready to Get Started! The remainder of this presentation provides examples of educational slideshows designed to teach residents about ways that they can reduce stormwater pollution in their watersheds. Feel free to use incorporate these slides into your own campaigns (with attribution given to CWP, of course).

Retrofitting Your Own Backyard Prepared by the Center for Watershed Protection

Backyard Watershed Retrofits The most important things you can do to help protect and restore your neighborhood stream are very simple! Backyard behaviors are just as important as backyard stormwater practices

Backyard Watershed Retrofits Rain barrels. Lawn conversion. Integrated pest management. Impervious surface reduction. Careful car washing. Pet waste management.

What Is a Rain Barrel? A rain barrel is a temporary storage device connected to a roof downspout, typically including a hose attachment to allow for reuse of rooftop runoff. It operates as a collection system that stores rooftop runoff to be used later for activities such as lawn & garden watering, car washing, and window cleaning.

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Why Use a Rain Barrel? Residential irrigation can account for up to 40% of domestic water consumption in a given area. Runoff from your property will be reduced.

Where Can I Get One? Most major lawn and garden centers. On the world wide web. Make your own!

Where Can I Get One? The Garden Watersaver www.gardenwatersaver.com Gardeners Supply Company http://www.gardeners.com Rainpail http://www.rainpail.com Spruce Creek Rainsaver www.sprucecreekrainsaver.com/barrel.html Midwest Internet Sales http://www.midwestinternetsales.com/rainbarrels.htm Plastmo www.rio.com/~plastmo/gardnh2o.html The Urban Rain Barrel www.greenculture.com/ps/pp_ws.html

Before You Install One... Check with your local government -- rain barrels are not appropriate for all houses! Make sure you choose one that redirects overflow back into your downspout.

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After You Install One... Empty it before winter comes! Use the water in the rain barrel to water trees, your lawn or landscaping in between rainfall events and during dry spells.

You should consider at least… Disconnecting your downspout from the storm drain to allow flow onto your lawn or into a landscaped area.

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What Is Lawn Conversion? Convert lawn or a section of lawn to a more natural state Plant hardy native plant species of grasses, shrubs, wildflowers, and trees

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Why Convert Your Lawn? Native plants tend to be better adapted to local environmental conditions -- they require less maintenance. Saves time, money, and energy in the long run. Can be used to solve landscaping problems such as shady or wet areas.

How Do I Convert My Lawn? Assess site conditions in order to choose appropriate plants. Consider sun exposure, soil texture, pH, fertility, moisture conditions, pest problems, and history of use. Sunny open areas & areas with poor drainage - native prairie or meadow plants. Fertile, moist areas - woodland plants.

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What Should I Use? Grasses and sedges. Vines and groundcover. Herbaceous vines and creepers. Shrubs. Trees. See Native Plant List!

What is Integrated Pest Management? A holistic approach to pest control that uses a combination of cultural, mechanical, biological, sanitary, and chemical controls. Manage pests to an acceptable level with as little impact to the environment as possible.

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Why Should I Use IPM? IPM uses chemical controls only as a last resort, and even then uses the least toxic forms of chemicals, so there is little impact on water quality. Pesticides contaminate stormwater runoff.

How Does IPM Work? Agricultural Controls: Crop Rotation Selection of disease resistant plants Trap crop Mechanical Controls: Collars Traps Removal of pests by hand

How Does IPM Work? Mechanical Controls cont.: Sprayers Weeding, mulching, hoeing Fences, netting, tree-trunk guards Bug zappers Sanitary Controls: Removal of overripe produce & diseased plants

How Does IPM Work? Biological Controls: Insect control Plant flowers to attract beneficial insects Chemical Controls: Use as last resort! Soaps & horticultural oils, inorganic pesticides such as lime sulfur & copper, botanical pesticides, & microbial pesticides

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What is Impervious Surface Reduction? Impervious surface reduction is the minimization or removal of surfaces that do not allow rainwater to percolate into the ground. Paved surfaces are gradually converted to more pervious surfaces using paving blocks, wood chips, or crushed rock.

Why Should I Reduce Impervious Surfaces? Impervious surfaces disrupt the natural water balance. Impervious surfaces collect soil, pet wastes, salt, fertilizers, oils, & other pollutants.

How Do I Reduce Impervious Surfaces? As you add or rebuild patios & garden pathways, consider surfaces other than concrete or asphalt: Paving blocks Permeable pavement Wood decks Crushed rock Wood chips

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A Few Things to Consider... Before you replace driveways or sidewalks, check with the building department of your community. Grade the surface so that it slopes to natural areas, not to the street or to the foundation of your house.

The Ills of Car Washing Car wash water contains oils, grease, metals, nutrients Car wash water runs down your driveway, into the street, into the catch basin, and is delivered your stream - UNTREATED!

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How Do You Wash Your Car? Never use a catch basin or storm drain to dispose of used water, cleaning solutions, or anything else, use a toilet or laundry sink. Wash your car on grass instead of in your driveway. Take your car to a car washing facility. Use non-phosphate soap.

The Ills of Pet Waste Adds both phosphorus and harmful bacteria to local waters. Non-human waste represents a significant source of bacterial contamination in urban watersheds. Nutrient release from decaying pet waste promotes weed and algae growth.

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How Should I Manage Pet Waste? When going for dog walks, take plastic sandwich bags & larger zip-lock bag -- flush when you get home. Dig a small trench & toss the feces in the trench, cover with a layer of leaves, grass clippings, & dirt. Train your cat to use a cat box even if it is an “outdoor” cat. Don’t feed the ducks & geese!

Easy, Everyday Things Clean walks & patios with a broom instead of a stream of water. Recycle motor oil & household chemicals at approved facilities. Repair automobile leaks immediately. Wash your car on your grass, using non-phosphate soaps, or take it to a car wash.

Easy, Everyday Things Pick up after your pets. Don’t feed the ducks & geese. Use lawn & garden chemicals sparingly & wisely. Do a soil test, and if necessary, use organic fertilizers. Try integrated pest management before chemicals.

Easy, Everyday Things Collect & compost yard waste, or leave grass clippings on the lawn. Select tallest acceptable mowing height. Apply just enough irrigation water to satisfy plant needs. Adjust sprinklers to avoid watering paved areas. Never use a catch basin to dispose of used water, cleaning solutions, or anything else!

Household Pollution Prevention Websites

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Trap Crop

Impervious Surface