MARQUETTE — The top cause of poor water quality in Lake Superior and its watersheds is stormwater runoff pollution. Stormwater runoff happens when rain or snowmelt washes chemicals, debris, household and pet waste and other pollutants into storm drains, and from there into the lake.

The good news is that stormwater runoff is a problem individuals and citizens can have a major impact in solving on a personal level. Since most stormwater pollutants come straight from our houses and yards, keeping them out of the stormwater system is often under our control. Here’s what you can do with your yard, lawn and garden to reduce your personal stormwater pollution.

Fertilizers & pesticides

Consider reducing or eliminating your use of chemicals like fertilizers or pesticides in your yard or garden. Choosing organic alternatives such as mulch and compost are good steps. Use just the recommended amount of fertilizer, if you must, and avoid using it along waterways that may be near your property.

Timing is important too; check the weather forecast to avoid applying pesticides and fertilizers before a rainstorm or windy day, when the chemicals will be carried faster and affect a larger area. The EPA also suggests researching the plants and grasses you intend to fertilize, so you can determine when the period of maximum nutrient uptake and growth for the plant is. Applying fertilizer in this period helps the plant use it instead of having it wash away. In cool climates like ours, these periods commonly take place in the spring and again in the fall.

As far as good handling of fertilizers and other chemicals goes, the best course of action is to prepare fertilizer spreaders or other methods of dispersal over a hard surface, like a table or garage floor, so spills can be easily cleaned up and reclaimed rather than ending up in a storm drain. Proper storage of unused fertilizer (close it and put it away) and proper disposal of empty containers will also help. If you have old or unused lawn or yard chemicals, turn them in during your community’s household hazardous waste collection times.

Yard & lawn

Lawn care can be a less obvious place to look for stormwater impacts, but they’re still there. The EPA recommends a few things to reduce lawn runoff.

The simplest one literally means less work for you — just don’t water your lawn as often. And, when you do, consider using soaker hoses, which trickle water directly to the ground rather than spray over a wide area like sprinklers. That cuts down on overwatering, and doesn’t carry away fertilizers from your lawn or garden as quickly. If you do have sprinklers, keep them on a short timer to avoid overwatering or pooling of water.

Minimizing asphalt and concrete in your yard and garden is another important step to take. Replacing them with more porous surfaces like bricks, gravel, cobbles, natural stone or permeable pavers helps stormwater absorb into the ground more readily.

As far as lawn hardware goes, keeping your lawn mowers, snowblowers, chainsaws, leaf blowers and any other outdoor power equipment well-maintained helps reduce the chance of leaky motors, noxious fumes or other pollutants around the yard. On a similar note, mow your lawn less often, too. A lawn at least three inches high actually helps minimize weed growth, uses less water and decreases the likelihood of pests. Other things you can do: Leave grass clippings on the lawn to help retain moisture and act as a natural fertilizer and weed-blocker, and sweep sidewalks and driveways to clean them rather than hosing them down with water.

You also can choose grasses and landscaping plants native to your region, which grow better, root more deeply and retain water better than non-native plants will. For lawn seed in our area, some native choices are big and little bluestem, Canada wild rye, and buffalo grass, which is native to the Midwest.

Gardens

Gardening is all about enjoying nature and its benefits, whether you do it for fresh garden veggies or to add beauty to your home. So, it makes sense to garden in a fashion that benefits nature in return. Here are some ways to get more water-quality-friendly in your garden.

Use any chemicals sparingly, just like in the rest of your yard. Avoid harsh chemicals, and choose organic alternatives when you can. Using soaker hoses is a good idea here too, to avoid overwatering. And native plant choices for flowering plants and ornamentals are going to be a better bet than many mainstream garden choices available.

The EPA suggests backyard gardeners take a look at two key ideas: planting a rain garden, and using a rain barrel. The rain garden is a planting area of native plants, shrubs and trees, often with rock or gravel areas, that can improve runoff areas and allow water to soak into the ground more slowly. A rain barrel can be installed to collect rainwater for use in your garden or yard, which not only conserves water but reduces runoff.

If you use pavers in your garden, choose permeable ones or create walkways in gravel to allow stormwater better drainage. Look at stormwater management techniques like creating filter strips or buffer strips in places around your home that usually channel stormwater. That might include at the base of gutters, near driveways or sidewalks.

Finally, using yard waste like grass clippings and leaves as mulch or compost is a good way to save water and fertilizer, and has the added benefit from keeping the debris out of stormwater drains and streams.