Off the Lawn and Out of the Lake

The conservation of our lake is an ongoing effort that can be impacted by anyone. You might think that a couple of leaves and few blades of grass isn’t enough to do serious damage to our lake, and you might be right on a small scale. However, if everyone dumped small amounts of yard waste into the water, we would all face the consequences. 

The introduction of yard waste into lake water brings excess nitrate, phosphorus, and unwanted chemicals into where we swim. These undesirable additions can deplete oxygen in wildlife habitats, killing fish and aquatic animals that live there. Pesticides and other yard treatment chemicals can often cause skin irritation to recreational swimmers. In addition to being generally unpleasant to look at, this waste can also clump together and cause clutter in channels, boat docks, ponds, and streams. 

One of the biggest nitrate causes is from Animal waste. Our lake primarily deals with waste from dogs and Canadian geese, as these are most prevalent on our lawns. If left unattended, runoff from these will find their way into our water. It’s not feasible to try to stop aquatic birds from leaving waste in the water, but we can stop it from getting from the land to the lake. Throwing animal waste of any form into the lake is not acceptable. 

All pet and yard waste should be disposed of properly with local sanitation departments or proper disposal locations. Under Michigan’s litter laws, fines for improper disposal of waste into public waters can range anywhere between $800 and $5,000, depending on the circumstances. This does not include additional fines that could be enforced by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). 

We all make decisions that can help or harm the lake shed. It’s up to us to keep it healthy. Please remember that if it comes off your lawn, it doesn’t go into the lake. 

Sources:

Leaf litter and yard waste 

Stormwater Best Management Practice, Pet Waste Management