Take Action: Simple Steps To Protect Your Water and Watershed
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Conserve water
- Use a rain barrel to collect water for gardens
- Plant hardier native plant species which require less watering
- Water gardens less frequently, use mulches to reduce evaporation
- Use low flow household products (toilet, shower head), and repair leaks and drips
- Run the dishwasher or washing machine only with a full load
- Reduce the size of your lawn, leave your grass longer, water your lawn only when required and leave grass clippings on the lawn (they add moisture to the soil)
- Compost food waste instead of using the garbage disposal
- Shorten your shower time and turn off the water while brushing your teeth
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Get to know your watershed
- Visit a recreation area in your watershed year-round to picnic, hike, swim, snowshoe, ski, and enjoy the scenery
- Join a local watershed organization, like the Elbow River Watershed Partnership, and volunteer
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Take care with hazardous products
- Don't use fertilizers or pesticides
- Dispose of hazardous products properly
- Don't pour anything down storm drains as it goes directly to local creeks, rivers and ponds
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Protect riparian areas
- Protect existing trees and shrubs beside ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes
- Plant trees and shrubs to remediate riparian areas
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Protect groundwater
- Keep your septic system in good working order
- Use sand instead of salt on your driveway and walkway
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Improve your green space
- Plant trees and shrubs to control runoff and soil erosion, improve water quality, and help clean the air
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Improve your local infrastructure
- Use permeated pavement, green roofs
- Redirect downspouts into gardens
- Promote more parks, community gardens, constructed wetlands
- Make a rain garden