Lawn to Lake

Lawn to Lake is a collaborative program promoting healthy lawn and landscape practices to protect water resources in the Great Lakes region. Visit www.lawntogreatlakes.org to learn more.

WE ALL PLAY A ROLE

Increased development in the Lake Michigan region leads to an increase in land devoted to lawns and therefore, lawn care. What's more, residents mistakenly overuse chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and water to maintain their lawns. Property owners responsible for overseeing contractors or landscapers are often unaware of the environmental impacts of their decisions. Unfortunately, pesticides and fertilizers can run off from our lawns and into storm drains when it rains, polluting our lakes and streams. But with a few simple changes, everyone can make a big difference in protecting our waterways.

PESTICIDES AND OUR WATER

The United States Geological Survey found pesticides in all the lakes, rivers and streams they tested and in one-third of all major groundwater aquifers — all are sources for drinking water. Residential use is a major source of those pesticides. Homeowners use nearly three times more pesticide on their lawns per acre than farmers. When there is significant rain, as much as 90 percent of the pesticide used can be lost to stormwater runoff. And impacts are not just limited to surface waters. Polluted water moves through the soil and down to the water table. Up to 2 percent of applied pesticides can work its way through the soil and into the groundwater.

NUTRIENTS AND OUR WATER

Common nutrients required for healthy plant growth include nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. While essential for plants, they can also pose a significant threat to delicate ecosystems and to our health. Phosphorous is one of the most troublesome pollutants. When there is too much phosphorus, this leads to excessive algae growth that can block sunlight, and can ultimately lead to a depleted or dead water body. When algae die and decompose, they remove oxygen from the water. Fish and other organisms can't exist in water with low oxygen levels. Many lawn products can contribute phosphorus to water bodies. After fertilizers are applied, plants may not be able to take up all the nutrients, and some of them may seep into the soil below the plant roots. Since water runs downhill, even under the surface, these leached nutrients may be transported into the nearest lake or stream. Numerous studies have shown that lawns in Illinois and Indiana rarely need phosphorous. While over half of lawn owners use fertilizer, only 10- to 20-percent perform soil tests first to determine if this is necessary.

A LIMITED RESOURCE

The Great Lakes are the drinking water source for 42 million people in the U.S. and Canada. In the last century though, tons of toxins have found their way into this limited supply of freshwater. The very same water we pollute is continuously cycling though our air, soils, and waters — and threatening the health and safety of people, plants, and animals. If we all learn to practice healthy lawn and landscape maintenance, we can maintain and improve the Great Lakes aquatic ecosystem. Practicing natural lawn care also helps conserve our limited water supply.

With funding from the U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, this pollution prevention campaign provides resources and training to those responsible for lawn and landscape care in the Southern Lake Michigan basin. Collaborating partners include the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), Lake Champlain Sea Grant, Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC), Safer Pest Control Project (SPCP), and University of Illinois Extension.

 

CMAP is working with local partners to get the Lawn to Lake message out. You can view a short video on Healthy Lawncare practices at http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/lawncare/

For more information contact Margaret Schneemann MSchneemann@cmap.illinois.gov 312-676-7456.