The Light at The End of The Storm Drain

We learned all about stormwater in my last blog. I ended that blog with a little cliff hanger saying I would talk about how we can do our part to keep stormwater free from pollutants and reduce the amount of stormwater we create in this blog. So, here I am to fulfill my promise…

Stormwater can be a daunting topic, but if stormwater is managed effectively, it can be redirected to serve beneficial purposes:

It can help to recharge our aquifers (a major source of potable water), and
It can be directed into stormwater ponds which can provide essential habitat for a variety of plants and animals.

The neat part about my job is not only do I get to educate you on topics like stormwater, but I also get to help you discover small ways you can contribute to the betterment our local environment. So, what are some things you can do to help offset the negative effects of stormwater?

Reduce Nutrient Inputs

Huh? There are a lot of activities we do regularly that contribute to increase amounts of nutrients in the waterways. While we often think of nutrients as a good thing, in excess, they can be bad. If you have a yard and/or a pet, then there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your contribution to polluted stormwater:

Fertilize correctly

First, determine if you really even need to fertilize
Be sure to read the labels and only use recommended quantities
Avoid using fertilizer near waterways or before a rain event
Try to limit or forgo fertilizing in the summer
- Pinellas County does have an ordinance against nitrogen fertilizer in the summer months.

Pick up after your pet

While poop does contain a lot of nutrients, those nutrients are not meant to be in the environment. You can read more about that in one of my other blogs.

Reduce Other Inputs

Stormwater picks up litter and sediments along its journey. Trash in our waterways is not only an eye sore, but a possible source of harm to wildlife if ingested. Sediments can muddy our waters, causing issues with plants in the water getting the light they need. Fortunately, both issues are easy to fix!

Pick up litter

Whether it’s yours or not, every bit of trash we pick up will prevent it from entering our waterways and potentially harming aquatic species and/or water quality.
Participate in one of the many organized cleanup events hosted by nonprofits in the county.
Make it a routine to always carry a garbage bag with you to collect trash throughout the day.
If you see someone littering intentionally, you can report violations on “See, Click, Fix” or report polluters to watershed@pinellascounty.org

Plant Vegetation

In addition to preventing soil erosion, planting vegetation (especially native plants) provide additional benefits in the form of food and shelter for area wildlife. Plants also play a vital role in filtering out pollutants in stormwater.

Be Engaged

Advocate

There are many organizations working to protect water quality in Pinellas County and most meetings are open to the public. Seek out opportunities to speak up about any concerns you have for your local waters; it starts with you caring and wanting to make a difference.

Educate

If you made it to this point of my blog, kudos to you for sticking with me! Now that you are educated about stormwater, please share what you learned with a friend. As I often say, “I’m only one person trying to reach close to one million people.”

Get Involved

There are so many ways to be involved in helping water quality in Pinellas County. This is by no means an exhaustive list:

See if you qualify for the Adopt-A-Pond program
Enroll in the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Incentives Program
Participate in the pilot Adopt-A-Drain program (coming soon!)
Attend UF/IFAS Extension programs focusing on water
- Florida Waters Stewardship Program
- Florida Friendly Landscaping
Check out the following organizations to see how you can get involved:

Thanks for learning with me. You can find lots of educational resources on our YouTube Channel, by following us on Facebook, or by subscribing to our blog!