Maine Waterfront Property – Water Runoff Awareness

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Maine Waterfront Property – Water Runoff Awareness


The Maine Department of Environmental Protection estimates that between 40% and 70% of rain and snow melt that falls on a Maine residential property runs off and finds its way to streams, rivers, and lakes. Because of their proximity to the water, lakefront property owners play an especially important role in controling runoff.
Make sure that water runs off your driveway and walkways into vegetated areas. If you have gutters and a downspout, direct the water into vegetated areas or into a rain barrel.
Soil erosion is the primary pollutant that is carried into waterways via runoff. Soil contains phosphorus which encourages aquatic plant growth and algae blooms. The soil itself can be harmful to fish habitats, affect boating and swimming areas, and generally degrade the quality and clarity of the water. Try to repair and stabilize places where you see soil erosion taking place and plant vegetative buffers between your property and the water.
When doing lawn and garden work be careful not to overuse or misuse fertilizers or pesticides. Better yet, don’t use them at all. Use organic mulch and compost your yard waste. Also, make sure to properly store and dispose of any chemicals you might use around your property including paint, varnishes, cleaning products, bleach, solvents, oil, and detergents.
The United States DEP has published an article that is a handy reference to help all homeowners do their part to keep Maine lakes and waterways clean and pollution-free. Click here to see the entire article.

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