Principle 11: Reduce Runoff
As water makes its way across the landscape, it picks up various substances along the way and carries them directly to our waterways via storm drains and ditches. This polluted runoff can threaten human health and aquatic life. By creating a Carolina Yard, you can establish a watershed friendly landscape and minimize the amount of water, especially polluted runoff, leaving your yard.
Action Checklist:
Sweep grass clippings, fertilizer and soil from driveways and streets back onto the lawn.
Remove yard debris and trash from street gutters so it will not get washed into storm drains.
Do your duty and pick up after pets. Properly dispose of waste in the trash. This will help reduce bacteria.
Create an at-home kit for chemical spills and leaks. Household chemical containers that are empty, or those filled with cat litter or sorbent materials, should be properly disposed of and not put out at the curb.
Use mulch, permeable pavers, stone, gravel or other porous surfaces for walkways, patios and driveways.
