903K93003
A GUIDE TO REDUCING WATER POLLUTION AT HOME
-------
Chapter 11
HOUSEHOLD
CHEMICALS
pages 22 S. 23
Chapter 1
RESOURCE IN THE BALANCE
pages 2 & 3
t Chapter?
LANDSCAPING
pages
Chapter 12
WATER CONSER\ATION' '
Chapter 2
EROSION CONTROL
pages 4 & 5
Chapter 5
SEPTIC SYSTEMS
pages 10 & 11
Chapter
RECREATION
pages 26 & 27
Chapter 8
/./1WWS
pages 16 & 17
Chapter 3
CHECK YOUR SOIL
pages 6 & 7
Chapter 6
PAVEMENT
pages 12 & 13
Chapter 14
COMMUNITY ACTION
pages 28 & 29
.nijl,-
Chapter 9
GARDENING
pages 18 & 19
RESOURCES
pages 30 & 31
Chapter 10
PESTICIDES
pages 20 & 21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
page 32
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Chapter 1
A People's Bay
t's called a "people's Bay."
: The Chesapeake Bay water-
shed is home to more than
15 million people who live
on dozens of rivers and thou-
sands of creeks — people who
enjoy the beauty and bounty of
this immense estuary. Water in
the Bay's 64,000-square mile
drainage basin — from the Fin-
ger Lakes in New York, down the
mighty Susquehanna River in
Pennsylvania, to the thriving
ports of Baltimore and Hamp-
ton Roads — provides us with
food and recreation, cools our
power plants, and fuels our
economy.
Most of us tend to take this
for granted. We expect clean
and plentiful water to swim and
boat in, water to nourish the
crabs and fish the Bay is famous
for, water in abundance when
we turn on our taps. But if we
don't take steps now to improve
the quality of the water in the
Chesapeake Bay, the waters we
take for granted may one day be
gone.
The Home — A Pathway
to the Bay
ater is one of the
most remarkable
\t compounds in
nature. Most of the
features and processes of our
physical environment — the at-
mosphere, soil, and all living
things — ultimately depend
upon its unique properties.
Water absorbs more substances
than any other liquid, and it is
this property that helps make
the Bay a chemical repository. It
is this property that sustains the
process of erosion and sedimen-
tation — the constant washing
and sweeping away of minerals,
salts, chemicals, sand, silt, and
soil from the land into the Bay.
We are an integral part of
this process. Every time we
wash our hands, clean our
drains, or water our lawns, we
add our wastes and excesses to
the water flowing into the Bay.
Heavy sediment loads in the Bay
and its tributaries are now a
major form of pollution, threat-
ening the aquatic life that de-
pends on clean water to survive.
Continuous accumulation of
toxic products from home use
threaten fish and shellfish, and
ultimately threaten our enjoy-
ment of the Bay for swimming
and recreation. Fertilizers can
deprive the Bay of the oxygen
needed to support life in the
Bay. Our homes are indeed
pathways to the Bay.
For too long, we have taken
the Bay's bounty for granted.
The largest and most productive
estuary in the United States —
home to more than 2,700 spe-
cies of plants and animals — is
slowly dying. An extensive
seven-year, $27 million Environ-
mental Protection Agency study
confirmed that the Bay has been
seriously harmed by environ-
mentally unsound decisions
made over a period of decades.
Growing commercial, industrial,
recreational, and urban activi-
ties in the Bay area are putting
substantial pressure on the
Bay's fragile ecology.
It's time we stopped taking
the Bay for granted. If it is a
people's Bay, then we must
make its problems ours if we
are to preserve and protect this
great national treasure.
The Cleanup Begins
Qince the EPA study was
released in 1983. the
private and public sec-
^^ tors have formed an un-
precedented alliance. For the
first time, Pennsylvania, Mary-
land, and Virginia— the three
states that share the largest por-
tion of the Bay watershed—and
the District of Columbia have
formally joined together to im-
plement the EPA study recom-
mendations. They are working
on ambitious legislative and
budgetary initiatives to address
the problems of Industrial pol-
lution, agricultural runoff, and
fisheries management. Now is
the time for ordinary citizens
like you and your neighbors to
get involved.
Citizen Participation -
A Key Element
Public interest in the
Bay has grown since
the states and the fed-
eral government
announced their plans to clean
up the Bay. This publication is
dedicated to the enthusiasm
and creativity of people like you
— people who live in five million
households around the Bay. The
diverse elements of your every-
day life — from selecting a
building site for a new home to
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
n each chapter
of this guide,
there are specific
suggestions
about what you can
do to improve the
quality of life in your
home, in your
neighborhood, and
in the Bay.
Learn how your
daily routines
affect the Bay
Read the Baybook
for easy-to-do
suggestions about
how you can help
preserve and
restore the
Chesapeake Bay
' '
RESOURCE IN THE BALANCE
-------
improving your property, from
using less water to eliminating
the use of toxic chemicals in
your home — are all related to
the health and productivity of
the Bay. Though each of the
chapters in the Baybook may be
used separately, the publica-
tion's lasting value lies in their
combined use. With the help of
this guide, you can begin to
form an ethic of respect and
care for the Bay in your home
and your neighborhood.
Why Be Concerned?
yi 11 too often we think of
ourselves as external to
y^^ our environment. We
ignore the many rela-
tionships between people, other
living creatures, and our sur-
roundings. We ignore these re-
lationships at our own risk.
Solutions to environmental
problems are far more effective
when they take into account the
complex connections between
all parts of the ecosystem.
A good example of how
solutions to one problem can in-
advertently cause other prob-
lems was the use of the
pesticide DDT in the 1940s.
While providing what seemed
to be huge benefits to agri-
culture, DDT interfered with
eggshell development in several
species of birds in the Bay area,
most notably the osprey. . »-"*"
.— •"'**
DDT is but one instance of
how solutions to problems can
create new areas of concern
about the Bay. Among the many
reasons for concern are:
Overenrichment of the Bay by
excessive quantities of nu-
trients washing off farmers'
fields, urban areas, and resi-
dential developments and
from inadequately treated
sewage discharges. Over-
enrichment is causing massive
algal blooms in the Bay, se-
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verely depleting the available
oxygen in the water and dis-
rupting all aquatic life.
Submerged aquatic vegeta-
tion, which serves as food for
waterfowl, a safe haven for ju-
venile crabs and fish, an an-
chor against erosion, and a
sediment filter, is at the lowest
level in the Bay's history.
These declines are closely re-
lated to changing water
quality conditions such as de-
creasing water clarity result-
ing from increased nutrient
enrichment or higher loads of
suspended sediments from
.dredging or land runoff.
Oyster harvests have fallen
from an average of two to
three million bushels per year
to 830,000 bushels last year.
The Chesapeake Bay supplies
a quarter of the nation's
oysters. In the last 20 years
the oyster business on the Bay
has declined noticeably.
Landings of certain fish spe-
cies that spawn in the Bay,
such as shad and herring have
dramatically decreased due to
pollution and overfishing.
Striped bass (rockfish) stocks
are at their lowest in history
and their harvest is banned in
a large portion of the Bay.
RESOURCE IN THE BALANCE
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Chapter 2
Streambank Erosion
he Chesapeake Bay is
fed by 50 major rivers.
These rivers, in turn, are
fed by the thousands of
creeks and streams, which form
an intricate network throughout
the 64,000-square mile drainage
basin of the Bay. How you man-
age the land around the stream
or creek in your neighborhood
helps determine the quality and
quantity of the freshwater flow-
ing into the Bay.
The condition of streams
leading to the Bay depends on
the answers to these questions:
Is the stream receiving runoff
from lawns, fields, highways,
or parking lots?
Are the banks of the stream
unstable?
Are there outfall pipes dis-
charging sewage into the
stream?
Are failing septic systems pol-
luting the stream?
Is there a build-up of silt in
the stream?
Are the channels of the stream
becoming wider and deeper?
* Are there fallen trees in the
stream?
If you can answer yes to one
or more of these questions,
your stream — and ultimately
the Bay — is in danger. Sediment
from eroding streambanks can
smother aquatic life, clog fish
gills, and cut off needed light to
underwater plants.
Streambank erosion is typ-
ical of urban, suburban, and
rural areas where pavement,
rooftops, compacted soil, and
other impenetrable surfaces
prevent rain from filtering down
into the soil. As a result of these
conditions, rain cannot enter
the stream or creek through the
groundwater. Instead, rain en-
ters the creek directly, increas-
ing the volume of water and
sediment in the stream and
causing the streambanks to
erode.
You and your neighbors can
minimize Streambank erosion
by taking a few simple steps
(see "What You Can Do"). An-
other important erosion control
measure is to make sure your
stream is surrounded by plenty
of trees. Trees are very impor-
tant to both the stability of the
Streambank and the health of
the stream itself. Trees should
not be cleared away. Their roots
are nature's best purifying sys-
tem because they remove nu-
trients and sediments harmful
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WHAT YOU CAN DO
I ere are a few of the many things you and your
neighbors can do to minimize Streambank and
: shoreline erosion in your community:
Remove obstructions from your creek, marsh,
or stream
Keep people, cars, and grazing animals away from
the edge of the water
s Build steps or a ramp between the top and bottom of
the bank if you need access to the water
Avoid heavy loads on the top of streambanks
or shoreline
« Control rainfall runoff (see chapter 3)
• Plant and protect vegetation on the slopes of the
streambanks and on the areas adjacent to the slope
* Consult a trained engineer about structural solutions
for controlling erosion
Establish marshes to help control shoreline erosion*
Seek advice from the resources listed in the back of
this guide.
'Marshes are particularly important to the Bay ecosystem because
they are the habitats for fish and crabs, the base of the Bay food
chain. Marshes serve as a buffer against pollution, provide natu-
ral protection against erosion by absorbing the energy of ap-
proaching waves, and trap sediments that clog the Bay.
EROSION
CONTROL
-------
to stream and Bay ecology. Trees
provide shade, which decreases
the temperature of the stream
and creates a suitable environ-
ment for fish.
Before you attempt to plant
trees on the banks of your
neighborhood creek, call your
state's forestry department (see
the Resources section at the
back of this guide) to see which
types will do well in your area.
Some state forestry depart-
ments even sell trees to home-
owners at cost.
Sometimes streambank ero-
sion has progressed too far for
simple measures. Structural res-
toration measures may be nec-
essary (see "What You Can Do").
Streambank restoration requires
the assistance of a trained pro-
fessional. In Maryland and Vir-
ginia, free advice on structural
solutions is available from the
state agencies listed in the Re-
sources section. Permits from
the Army Corps of Engineers
are required for construction
along waterways. The state and
federal governments also have
permit programs designed to
protect streambanks and
shorelines.
Shoreline Erosion Control
Certain parts of the
Chesapeake Bay
shoreline are subject
to high rates of ero-
sion. Areas with high banks,
areas adjacent to open water,
and areas subject to prevailing
winds can erode an astonishing
10 to 12 feet per year. We con-
tribute to this erosion by boat-
ing, clearing shorefront areas,
altering marshes, and building
close to the shoreline.
Shoreline and streambank
erosion control strategies share
many of the same techniques.
Structural solutions to shoreline
erosion problems can be expen-
sive, work with varying success,
and can cause erosion along
other parts of the shoreline.
Vegetative planting is less ex-
pensive and, in many situations,
can be just as effective as struc-
tural solutions. Vegetation can-
not provide protection in severe
exposure situations, and it re-
quires more maintenance. Vege-
tation is also susceptible to
human disturbance and must
be protected against people and
cars.
Vegetative erosion control
may be an alternative if: (1) the
shoreline is adjacent to less
than three miles of open water;
(2) there is more than four
hours of sunlight daily; (3) there
is a minimum distance of ten
feet between the toe of the bank
and the low tide line; and (4) the
soil is sandy.
If the shorefront meets
these conditions, vegetative
planting may be a feasible alter-
native to structural erosion con-
trol. Only a few plants will grow
in this shoreline zone [American
beachgrass (Ammophila bre-
viligulata), smooth cordgrass
(Spartina alternifora), and salt-
meadow hay (Spartina patens)].
Each plant has its natural place
in the shoreline environment.
Random planting will not work.
Get expert technical advice be-
fore attempting to plant along
the shoreline in your area.
Correcting shoreline ero-
sion sometimes requires
structural solutions, such
as constructing stone re-
vetments (ripraps). On
steep banks, build steps
to give you access to the
beach.
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EROS ON
CON R 0 L
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Chapter 3
Protect Your Investment
Buying or building a
home is the biggest in-
vestment most of us
will ever make. It's not a
decision to leave to chance.
Everyone checks out what's
above the ground, but how
many check below it?
It's important from both
an economic and environmen-
tal standpoint to find out the
type of soil on the site you are
planning to buy. Building on
the wrong soil can result in
costly problems such as
cracked foundations or flooded
basements. It can also lead to
water quality problems due to
erosion, flooding, and im-
proper filtration of sewage.
There are hundreds of soil
types in the Chesapeake Bay
watershed. Each soil has its
own characteristics caused by
parent material; percentage of
sand, silt, or clay; slope; color;
permeability; depth to bedrock;
water table; and flooding. You
can find out about your soil by
checking the published soil
survey for your county. Soil
surveys contain aerial photo-
graphs showing the location
and extent of each kind of soil.
Soil surveys can help you an-
swer the following questions:
Will your basement stay dry
or flood periodically?
Can you use a septic system
or will the effluent rise to the
surface of the soil and
present a health hazard?
Is the lot subject to flooding
or soil erosion?
Soil surveys are published
by the U.S. Department of Agri-
culture's Soil Conservation
Service (SCS) in cooperation
with state agencies. Copies are
on file at your local SCS,
County Extension Service of-
fices, and at most major public
libraries.
Checklist tor House Hunters
f you are house hunting,
there are some visible
signs of problem soil that
you can look for. One easy
way to identify wet soil is by
the kind of vegetation growing
on it. Common plants found in
wetlands are skunk cabbage,
rushes, sedges, cattails, and
alder. Trees that grow well in
wetlands include elm, pin oak,
red maple, willow, sweet gum,
or Southern red oak. Check
with your county government
to see if it has any regulations
concerning development in
wetland areas.
If you walk across an area
and it seems soft and spongy,
especially when it has not
rained for a while, suspect poor
drainage. Have a soil scientist
investigate the site to verify the
degree of wetness and suggest
ways of dealing with the situa-
tion.
Before you build, consider
carefully where you will place
your house. Nearly level areas
at the base of hills often tend to
be wet. Areas adjoining
streams flood. Ponds can form
in depressions in the ground.
Steep slopes can entail addi-
tional construction costs, and
you may face potentially seri-
ous surface runoff problems.
Concave areas and drainage
ways tend to be wet and flood
during storms. You can save
yourself worry and expense by
looking for these problems be-
fore you buy, instead of paying
for them later.
There's more to soil than
meets the eye. The so/I
surveys for your county
will tell you about per-
meability, soil type, loca-
tion of the water table,
and flooding potential of
the property you're think-
ing about buying.
CHECK
YOUR
SOIL
-------
Septic Systems
' ~ he soil characteristics
that affect the function-
ing of septic systems are
permeability, depth,
water table, and slope. Proxim-
ity to streams, lakes, and the
Bay are also important consid-
erations when you are planning
to install a septic system.
Permeability is the rate at
which water, or effluent, moves
through the soil. It is in-
fluenced by soil texture and
drainage. It's best to install sep-
tic systems in moderately per-
meable soil. Effluent moves too
quickly through sandy soil to
allow enough time for treat-
ment, causing groundwater or
well pollution. Effluent travels
too slowly through tight-
grained clays and may cause
plumbing backups or puddles
to form on the ground around
your home.
A high water table or im-
permeable layer near the sur-
face are two factors that restrict
soil depth. If the soil is not suf-
ficiently deep, effluent from the
septic system can't be properly
absorbed and treated. Moder-
ately permeable soils should be
at least six feet deep above the
impermeable layer.
Texture is determined by
the percentage of sand, silt, or
clay in the soil. Most soils are a
combination of these materials.
Groundwater is the level
to which the water rises in an
excavated pit or hole. Ground-
water levels can vary drastically
from season to season. That's
why health agencies require
wet weather "perk" tests. They
test soil percolation rates dur-
ing the time of year when the
ground is most saturated. If the
perk rate is good then, your
septic system should work well
year round.
Steep slopes can cause
construction and maintenance
problems for septic systems.
Controlling the downward flow
of effluent is difficult because
the effluent may move through
the soil so rapidly that it col-
lects in messy wet spots at the
base of the slope. If the effluent
should hit a dense layer of clay
or rock in a slope, it will be
forced to the surface and run
down the face of the slope un-
filtered.
Government regulations
require that septic absorption
areas be installed at a sufficient
distance from streams, lakes,
drainage ditches, flood plains,
and the Bay. By placing the
system far enough away from
Bay waterways, you help en-
sure that the effluent won't
have a chance to move side-
ways through the soil, causing
health and pollution problems.
Your house may not sit on top of a hill,
but to ovoid drainage problems, make
sure the ground is graded away from
the house at a slope of one percent or
more on all sides.
Qne way you can avoid drainage problems
in and around your home is to use this
checklist while house hunting. By consid-
•ing these factors before you buy or build,
you will save yourself time and money.
Here are some things you should look for:
Cracked basement or foundation
Water stains on basement walls
Standing water in basement
Bright green spots in lawn (septic system malfunc-
tion)
Sewage odor in basement
Puddles of effluent on lawn
Home site on same elevation as adjoining stream or
river
Wetland vegetation or conditions
Soft, spongy ground
Steep slopes
Drainage ways
Depressions in the soil surface
CHECK
YOUR
SOIL
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Chapter 4
Rainy Day Blues
How rain water moves
over and through the
ground is important
:o those of us who
have experienced flooded
basements, wet yards, or bro-
ken septic systems. Solving the
problems associated with sur-
face water runoff and poorly
drained soil is also important to
improving the health of the
Chesapeake Bay.
Rain from roofs and
driveways runs off, often erod-
ing yards and destroying
plants. Much of the soil washed
off vacant lots and lawns is car-
ried into streams and eventu-
ally reaches the Bay. This sedi-
ment smothers fish and
shellfish. Nutrients, such as ni-
trogen and phosphorus from
fertilizer in runoff, can cause
excessive algae growth, using
up oxygen needed by the Bay's
aquatic life. This runoff may
also contain pesticides, oil, an-
tifreeze, and other substances
toxic to life in the Bay.
Pollution also occurs
when the soil is too wet to filter
sewage outflow. Effluent can
percolate into the groundwater
without proper filtration, or it
can rise to the surface and be f
carried into streams and drain- S
age ways.
Dealing with Surface Runoff
On large tracts of
land, controlling
surface water flow
_ vjtorm water man-
agement) is the developer's re-
sponsibility. There are inex-
pensive ways you can control
excess runoff created by patios,
driveways, sidewalks, and
swimming pools. Whatever the
soil drainage condition in your
neighborhood, you can use
swales, berms, and basins to
control runoff on your prop-
erty, reduce its speed, and in-
crease the time over which the
runoff is released. For example,
land immediately adjacent to
your house needs to have a
downhill slope so that water
does not seep through the
foundation. Once the water has
been carried ten feet from the
house, you should regrade the
surface so that runoff is re-
leased gradually.
Where drainage is good or
where infiltration devices are
in use, you can regrade the
land to create a basin, which
holds all runoff and allows it to
infiltrate the soil over a longer
period of time. The effective-
ness of a basin depends on the
soil's ability to absorb and filter
the surface water. Soils with
less than two feet of depth to
bedrock or one foot of depth to
a seasonally high water table,
soil having a high clay content
or a clay hardpan beneath the
surface, and low-lying soil that
receives runoff from a large
land area may not have suffi-
cient infiltration capacity.
When you try to retain runoff in
these situations, the soil will
rapidly become saturated, and
rainfall that should filter down
through the soil will collect on
the surface and either create
health, safety, and use prob-
lems or move across the sur-
face as excess runoff.
Be on the lookout for
small wet patches in your yard.
These wet spots mean that the
soil around your house has set-
tled and surface water is col-
lecting on the ground. Plant
growth is usually poor in these
areas and erosion often occurs.
Filling these pockets with top-
soil and seeding them with
grass will usually solve the
problem by letting water flow
on its natural path.
In some instances, you
may be able to correct an exist-
ing wet soil problem by creat-
ing a system of berms and
swales around your yard.
When it's not feasible to avoid
a wet area, you may be able to
move it to a less used area of
the yard (around shrubs or
trees, for example) by installing
a swale to carry the water
across the yard. Plant the new
Rainwater runs downhill
- some filtering through
the soil, some running di-
rectly into nearby
streams. By encouraging
rainwater to move slowly
across the soil so most
of it filters into the
ground, you will help pre-
vent erosion problems.
= ——
—
— —
D
R
N
E
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wet area with the kinds of trees
and shrubs that thrive in wet
soils. There are some instances
where a system of swales will
not solve your drainage prob-
lem, and you will have to con-
sider installing a subsurface
drainage system.
Installing Infiltration Devices
~ he installation of var-
ious infiltration devices
can enhance infiltration
even on sites with well-
drained soils. It is important to
remember that surface runoff
cannot infiltrate soils that are at
or past their saturation point
(by virtue of depth to water
table or bedrock), contain a
high percentage of clay, or rest
on a clay hardpan. Under these
conditions, surface runoff can-
not infiltrate the soil even with
an infiltration device.
Using berms and swales,
you can speed site infiltration
by channeling surface runoff
into a gravel-filled seepage pit,
a Dutch drain (see illustration),
or a gravel-lined detention
basin. You can also spread run-
off over the land surface by
using a series of terraces or
runoff spreaders, which pro-
motes greater infiltration by
slowly spreading runoff in a
fanshaped pattern across a ve-
getated land surface. Seepage
pits, gravel-lined recharge
basins, and terraces lose their
effectiveness as infiltration de-
vices when the land surface is
clogged with clay, silt, or Fine
sand particles. Infiltration de-
vices for large parcels of land
are often constructed along
with sediment traps, basins, or
grassed sediment filters. These
traps and filters remove fine
particles from runoff before
they reach the infiltration de-
vice. Sediment traps are less
critical for most residential lots;
most homeowners can use a
system of swales or basins
leading to the infiltration
device as a sediment filter.
Dutch drains carry water from rain-
spouts into the soil, where it gradually
filters into the ground.
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
m here are many ways you can improve drainage
• in your yard. Most of these suggestions are in-
• expensive, practical, and easy to implement.
. • You can reduce surface runoff if you:
Install gravel trenches along driveways or patios to
collect water and allow it to filter into the soil
(trenches should be at least 12 inches wide and 3
feet deep)
Resod bare patches in your lawn as soon as possi-
ble to avoid erosion
Grade all areas away from your house at a slope of
one percent or more
Use a grass swale (a low area in the lawn) to move
water from one area to another*
Plant shrubs and trees to promote infiltration (see
chapter on landscaping)
"Low ridges, or "berms, " may be used to direct water into
and through swales. Basins built to gather and hold runoff
can have infiltration devices to handle exceptionally
heavy runoff, but their main purpose is to keep runoff away
from the site and help the water filter into the underlying
soil. Other basins are designed to slow the rate of runoff
and increase the time between rainfall and discharge of
surface runoff into a stream. These basins usually contain a
temporary pool of water that dissipates as the runoff is re-
leased gradually through an outlet device.
E
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Chapter 5
How Well Does Your Septic
System Work?
^' early 24 percent of
all homes in the
United States are
served by septic sys-
tems. Thirty percent of all
homeowners in the Chesa-
peake Bay drainage basin rely
on septic systems to treat and
dispose of household wastewa-
ter. Because so much has been
said recently about water qual-
ity, especially in the Bay area,
you might wonder how envi-
ronmentally acceptable septic
systems really are.
Years of experience have
proven that properly designed,
installed, and maintained sep-
tic systems have little adverse
effect on the environment.
Government regulations ensure
that septic systems conform to
certain standards, and a repu-
table contractor can make sure
your system will be properly
installed; As a homeowner, you
have a major influence on how
well your septic system works.
How Septic Systems
Function
Ceptic systems have two
key components—a
septic tank and a soil
\^absorption system. The
septic tank is a container,
usually prefabricated from con-
crete according to a relatively
standardized design. It receives
wastewater from your
bathroom, kitchen, and
laundry room, allowing the
heavy solid particles to settle
and light materials to float to
the surface of the tank. These
materials become sludge and
scum (see diagram). Bacteria in
the wastewater feed on the
sludge and liquify the waste
products.
This process requires
time. To permit enough time
for settling and flotation, regu-
lations require that septic tanks
be sized according to the ex-
pected daily flow of wastewater
from your home.
— ^
To Drainfield
Septic tanks are made of
steel or concrete and
must be large enough to
hold one day's flow of
wastewater from your
home. Solids settle to the
bottom, light materials
float on the surface, and
only the wastewater fil-
ters out into the
drainfield.
The soil absorption sys-
tem (drainfield) consists of a
distribution box, perforated
distribution lines made of tile,
and an area of soil. The soil ab-
sorption system receives
wastewater from the septic
tank and removes harmful, dis-
ease-causing microorganisms,
organics, and nutrients. For this
part of the system to function
properly, it must be con-
structed carefully on suitable
soil.
The soil also needs time
to filter out these harmful ma-
terials from the wastewater.
"Suitable soils" do not include
sand (which permits wastewa-
ter to pass through too fast) or
clay (which accepts only small
amounts of wastewater). State
and local regulations that de-
termine what constitutes suit-
able soil have been developed
after careful consideration of
many factors that affect a soil's
ability to adequately treat do-
mestic wastewater.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Maintenance is the single most important
consideration in making sure a septic
lystem will work well over a long period
.1 time. Too often homeowners forget that
whatever goes down the drain or toilet ultimately ei-
ther finds its way into the soil or remains in the septic
tank until it is pumped out. Use common sense and
you should have few problems with your septic sys-
tem.
The following maintenance practices will keep
your system running smoothly:
Know the location of all components of your septic
system; keep heavy vehicles away from the system
Don't plant trees or shrubs near drain tiles since
their roots can clog drain lines
Dispose of household chemicals properly—do not
pour them down the toilet or drain; they can de-
stroy the bacteria in the septic tank
Distribute your laundry chores throughout the
week to avoid overloading the system on any given
day
Don't use garbage disposals; they contribute un-
necessary solids and grease to your septic system
Conserve water whenever and wherever possible
Don't use toilets as trash cans
Monitor your septic tank yearly and have a reputa-
ble contractor remove sludge and scum every three
to five years. (This helps ensure that there is
enough space in the tank for wastewater, and pre-
vents solids from escaping into the absorption sys-
tem.)
P C
SYSTEMS
-------
Why Worry?
he threat of disease is a
key problem with treat-
ing human wastewater.
• The epidemics that killed
millions of people in the Middle
Ages were caused by mixing of
human waste with drinking
water supplies. Domestic
wastewater contains bacteria
and viruses that cause dysen-
tery, hepatitis, and typhoid
fever. To protect your health,
it's important to exclude these
organisms from both surface
and groundwater. That is why
sewage treatment plants use
chlorine and other biocides
(substances destructive to
many organisms). Fortunately,
soil and soil bacteria can effec-
tively remove pathogenic (dis-
ease-causing) microorganisms
from wastewater treated in a
properly functioning septic sys-
tem.
Nutrients such as nitrogen
and phosphorus, contained in
domestic wastewater, can
cause both health and nui-
sance problems if allowed to
reach surface or groundwater
supplies. Nitrogen in its nitrate
form poses the most significant
threat to our health. When in-
gested by infants, nitrate can
interfere with the blood's abil-
ity to carry oxygen, causing
"blue baby" syndrome. Nitro-
gen carried in septic tank
wastewater is usually in the
form of ammonia. This ammo-
nia is readily transformed into
nitrate, which can easily be-
come part of ground and sur-
face water supplies.
Nutrients also fuel the
growth of algae and are re-
sponsible for the subsequent
loss of oxygen, causing serious
problems for the Bay. The EPA
study confirmed that excessive
nutrients are responsible for
serious water quality problems
in the Bay.
System Failures
Design, construction,
or maintenance
problems are usually
responsible for septic
systems that are not working
well. The principal signs of de-
sign problems are easy to de-
tect—effluent rising to the
ground or drains and toilets
that operate sluggishly or not at
all. These problems occur be-
cause the drainfield is either
too small or is located on the
wrong kind of soil.
Before a septic system is
built, most health agencies re-
quire a "perk" (percolation) test
to determine how fast the soil
absorbs water. Soil examina-
tion by a professional soil sci-
entist can provide an even
more reliable assessment of
the capacity of soil to accept
wastewater. When designing a
system, your builder should
check the water table level to
be sure it is at least four feet
below the septic drainfield.
Construction problems
and failures include tile laid on
improper grades, incorrect
joints and alignments between
system components, and tiles
broken or crushed during the
building process.
The drainfield, or absorp-
tion system, is critical to
how well your septic sys-
tem functions. Perforated
tile pipes must be laid in
suitable soil, away from
tree roots and manmade
structures. The drainfield
must be a large enough
area to absorb your
home's daily wastewater
SEPTIC
SYSTEMS
-------
Chapter 6
Help Prevent Erosion
jffost people in the
ft Chesapeake Bay
drainage basin live
in cities and subur-
ban areas. These areas are
characterized by acres of hard
surfaces—roads, rooftops, and
parking lots. In contrast to for-
ests and fields, which allow
rainwater to soak in, these im-
permeable surfaces force more
and more rainwater to run off.
Every storm increases the vol-
ume and velocity of rainwater
runoff. Cities experience nine
times more runoff than wooded
areas, causing flooding, topsoil
and streambank erosion, and
choked waterways.
Of course, we can't live
without driveways, sidewalks,
or patios. But water from paved
surfaces and rooftops can de-
grade nearby streams. The
stream may be out of sight, but
underground storm drains
often carry rainwater runoff
from the impervious surfaces
surrounding your home di-
rectly into a nearby stream. By
using paving surfaces that
allow rainwater to soak into the
ground, you can reduce exces-
sive rainwater runoff and help
prevent erosion.
Permeable Paving Surfaces
paving surface that
allows water to soak
I in may seem impos-
sible, but there are
many materials that provide
the durability of concrete while
allowing rainwater to filter
down into the ground. If you
are planning a new patio, walk-
way, or driveway, and your
home site has favorable soil
conditions, there are several at-
tractive alternatives to con-
crete.
Wood decks, usually in-
stalled for their functional good
looks, can serve as a form of
porous pavement. Redwood
and treated Southern pine (the
two most commonly used deck
materials in this region) are as
durable as most other paving
surfaces. Decking allows rain-
water to soak into the ground
beneath it, and the space be-
tween the planks provides
ample room for precipitation to
drain directly onto the soil sur-
face. As long as minimal air
space is maintained between
the soil surface and the deck-
ing, wood rot can be mini-
mized.
If you are installing a new
patio or rebuilding a crumbling
sidewalk, you don't need to use
the typical slab concrete. Using
bricks, interlocking pavers, or
flat stones (flagstone, blue-
stone, or granite), you can con-
struct an attractive, durable
walkway. If placed on well
drained soil or on a sand or
gravel bed, these modular
pavers allow rainwater infiltra-
tion. Though chemicals are
sometimes used to control
weeds growing in the joints be-
tween the pavers, Corsican
mint or moss can crowd out
weeds and add beauty
to the paved area.
Alt modular paving
materials require an
adequate sub-base
to support the
weight of cars
and allow for
adequate soil
drainage.
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Pre-cast concrete lattice
pavers also rest on a bed of
sand and gravel and allow rain
to soak slowly into the ground.
These kinds of paving materials
can be used wherever natural
soil drainage is good and there
are no problems with either
bedrock near the surface or
seasonal high water. Lattice
pavers won't work on clay or
other soils that are already sat-
urated with water.
Significant strides have
been made in developing
porous asphalt pavement in the
last three decades. This mate-
rial is similar to conventional
asphalt in durability, but it con-
tains a much smaller percent-
age of very fine particles. As a
result, the asphalt allows water
to soak through to the base
material and into the soil
below. Almost twice as much
porous asphalt must be applied
to achieve the same strength as
conventional asphalt. The fin-
ished surface must be pro-
tected from excess silt and fine
sand so that its pores don't be-
come clogged. You can use
porous asphalt on your new
driveway or encourage its use
on streets and parking lots in
your community.
Diverting Rain from Paved
Surfaces
or many years, pave-
Lf ment construction stan-
dards called for any rain
reaching a paved surface
to be controlled and directed
by a system of pavement and
pipe drains. Roof downspouts
spill onto driveways that are
graded down to street gutters,
which, in turn, lead to storm-
drains that dump the accumu-
lated rainwater directly into
streams. The destructive tor-
rents of this collected rain have
helped erode countless stream-
banks. In some urban areas,
storm drains and sanitary
sewers are combined, which
means that after a storm, un-
treated sewage could spill di-
rectly into your neighborhood
creek.
In places with good soil
drainage you can capture,
spread, and infiltrate rainwater
runoff from paved areas and
roofs to minimize the erosive
force of the flowing water.
Though many sidewalks and
driveways are appropriately
graded to spread runoff onto
lawn areas where it can soak
in, steep slopes, poor grading,
or concentrated flow from
downspouts can sometimes
cause destructive and unsightly
erosion. In these cases, stabi-
lizing the eroding area where
runoff leaves the pavement can
dissipate the water's erosive
force and allow infiltration.
Dense vegetation, mulch (pos-
sibly held in place by nylon
netting), or gravel can serve
this purpose.
If the volume of runoff
can't be effectively controlled,
the runoff can be captured as it
leaves the paved surface. The
water can be channeled and
spread to either a low-lying
grassy area or a series of ter-
races, both of which allow
gradual absorption into the
soil. In more severe cases,
gravel-filled seepage pits along
the pavement's edge or Dutch
drains can be used to take in
large volumes of runoff and en-
courage infiltration.
triStSSiA
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
hink about
m the ultimate
m destination of
• rainwater. Con-
sider the erosive
force of runoff from
the paved surfaces
that are part of our
daily lives. When
you take steps to
channel that runoff
into areas where it
can filter slowly
through the soil in-
stead of running di-
rectly into storm-
drains or streams,
you are helping to
protect the Bay.
Use wood deck-
ing, bricks, or in-
terlocking stones
for walkways and
patios
B Encourage the use
of porous asphalt
in your commu-
nity
*J Divert rain from
paved surfaces
onto grass to per-
mit gradual ab-
sorption
Modular paving materials
come in many styles and
are made of many mate-
rials. Some allow turf
growth on or through the
paver. All modular pavers
improve the infiltration ca-
pacity of paved surfaces.
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Chapter 7
Where Does the Rain Go?
probably don't re-
alize that the rain fall-
ing on homes, lawns and
driveways in 60 percent
of Virginia, 90 percent of Mary-
land, 50 percent of Pennsylva-
nia, and 30 percent of Dela-
ware eventually finds its way
into the Chesapeake Bay, car-
rying our pollution with it.
Landscaping your property is
one way to help reduce the er-
osive force of all this runoff.
What you do with and on
your land directly affects the
quality of the Chesapeake Bay.
You and your neighbors can
unintentionally change the vol-
ume, velocity, and timing of
the surface runoff that flows
from your property, and by
your everyday actions you can
add to the amount of toxic
chemicals and nutrients that
flow into the Bay. As the vol-
ume of runoff increases, so
does the danger of surface
flooding. Runoff also increases
soil and channel erosion and
delivers more sediment to the
Bay.
Protect Your Property,
Protect the Bay
{ everyone followed a few
simple procedures, they
could retain more rainwater
on their property, replenish
groundwater supplies, reduce
their reliance on household
chemicals and fertilizer, and
improve the quality of the
Chesapeake Bay.
Planting trees is one way
you can protect your land and
the Bay from the damage
caused by excessive runoff and
erosion. We all appreciate trees
for their beauty and the shade
they provide, but few of us re-
alize that trees help reduce
runoff and minimize erosion.
Planting shrubs, trees, and
ground cover on your property
—landscaping—has definite
environmental benefits, and it
enhances the appearance and
value of your property. Plants
w
Unlandscaped property
causes more rainwater
runoff, increases soil and
channel erosion, and de-
livers unnecessary sedi-
ment to the Bay.
After
Landscaping your yard re-
duces the erosive force of
rainwater runoff and in-
creases the value of your
home. By planting trees,
shrubs, and ground
cover, you encourage ex-
cess rainwater to filter
slowly into trie soil in-
\ \ stead of flowing directly
(jr.' t intostormdrainsor
,c,' / nearby streams. Choos-
ing trees and plants that
are appropriate for your
soil and growing condi-
tions will ensure that
you'll have a beautiful
yard.
L
N
D
S
N
-------
and trees can create "outdoor
rooms" for you and your family
to work and play in. These
plants can block cold winter
winds and provide shade in
summer.
Well planned landscaping
can reduce heating and cooling
costs for your house by as
much as 30 percent. New
shrubs and trees may attract
birds and wildlife. Trees,
shrubs, and ground cover also
require less maintenance than
grass. Because trees and
shrubs require less fertilizer
and fewer herbicides than
grass, the chances of polluting
the Bay are lessened. By
choosing the appropriate trees
and shrubs for your yard, you
contribute directly to Bay
cleanup efforts.
Choosing Appropriate
Plants
11 plants require differ-
ent kinds of soil, nu-
trients, and exposure
to the sun to flourish.
All landscapes have a set of
growing conditions, including
soil properties, air temperature,
moisture, and length of expo-
sure to the sun. The most com-
mon mistake people make
when landscaping their yards is
to buy plants that need much
more or far less moisture than
the soil provides. Plants that
need a lot of water will not
grow well on dry sites unless
you supply the water they
need. Plants with high nutrient
requirements will only grow in
poor soils if you apply fertilizer.
Plants susceptible to insect and
disease problems will flourish
only when these pests are con-
trolled by some biological,
chemical, or mechanical
means. By choosing plants ap-
propriate to your yard, you
help reduce these potential
problems.
Fortunately, nature has
given us a partial solution to
the problem of plant selection.
Over time, plants native to a
particular locale have adapted
to whatever growing conditions
they encounter. Plants that
grow near the shore have
adapted themselves to the rela-
tively high salt content of the
air and/or soil moisture
through a variety of physiologi-
cal mechanisms. Plants that
grow naturally in the forests of
the Chesapeake Bay region are
bothered less by common dis-
ease and insect problems than
are plants introduced from
other areas. Ask a competent,
professional nursery to help
you select plants, trees, and
shrubs appropriate for your
yard and soil type.
Some introduced plants,
such as bamboo and multiflora
roses, grow faster than plants
native to the Bay area. These
plants spread quickly and can
become a nuisance. Introduc-
ing new plants often entails
more watering or chemical
spraying. One way to avoid
these potential problems is to
select native plants, those pre-
adapted to the growing condi-
tions in your neighborhood.
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
y following
M^g these few
simple guide-
•i^rlines, you can
make your home
more attractive and
help prevent erosion:
Landscape your
yard to minimize
rainwater runoff
Preserve the es-
tablished trees in
your neighbor-
hood, which help
minimize the
damage caused by
surface runoff
Choose the appro-
priate plants,
shrubs, and trees
for the soil in your
yard; don't select
plants that need
lots of watering
(which increases
surface runoff)
Consult your local
nursery for advice
on which plants,
shrubs, and trees
will grow well in
your yard
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Chapter 8
Healthy Lawns
Jj ost people want a
Xf dense, healthy
lawn. A healthy
lawn not only
makes your home more attrac-
tive and valuable, but it also
has important environmental
benefits. When coupled with
trees, shrubs, and groundcover,
your lawn can help prevent er-
osion, moderate summer heat,
and act as a filter for rainwater
from roofs, downspouts, and
driveways. A healthy lawn also
benefits the soil by adding or-
ganic matter to improve soil
structure and infiltration. Your
local stream and ultimately the
Bay will benefit from the re-
duced runoff and filtering ca-
pacity provided by your lawn
and by landscaping.
It is estimated that there
are 20 million acres of lawn in
the United States. If well-man-
aged and planted with shrubs
and groundcover, these acres
can be part of a healthy envi-
ronment; if fertilizers and pes-
ticides are used indiscrimina-
tely, lawns can be a source of
pollution. The basic premise of
environmentally sound turf-
grass management is that a vig-
orous stand of grass will out-
compete most weeds and be
able to withstand damage from
fungus and insects.
Test Your Soil
o help ensure you'll
have a healthy lawn, test
your soil before seeding
or applying fertilizers. Call
your county Cooperative Ex-
tension Service for assistance,
or purchase a soil test kit at
your local garden store. The re-
sults of the soil test will tell you
how much fertilizer and lime
your soil requires. Lawns in the
Chesapeake Bay region often
need to be tested for organic
matter, pH and soluble salts.
The results of these tests can
suggest additional corrective
measures that will help you
avoid future problems. Com-
post, if mixed into the soil, can
provide some of the organic
matter and nutrients your soil
needs.
Fertilizing the Lawn
he nutrients in fertil-
izers can contribute to
the pollution problems in
the Chesapeake Bay.
That's why it's important to
apply fertilizer according to in-
structions—at the proper time
and rate—to prevent additional
water quality problems. Avoid
getting fertilizer on sidewalks
and driveways, where it can
easily be v.-ashed into storm
drains and, eventually, into the
Bay.
Soil tests will show how
much lime, phosphorus, and
potassium your fertilizer
should contain. Nitrogen, a
vital nutrient, can also be ap-
plied at the right time and in
the right amounts. The recom-
mended nitrogen rates for your
area are available from your
county Cooperative Extension
Service.
The numbers on a bag of
fertilizer refer to the percent-
ages of plant nutrients—nitro-
gen, phosphates, and potash—
in the material. In a 100-pound
bag of a 5-10-10 mixture, for
instance, there would be 5 per-
cent (5 pounds) nitrogen, 10
percent phosphate, and 10 per-
cent potash.
The wrong amount of fer-
tilizer applied at the wrong time
can cause disease and weed
problems, poor root growth, or
excessive top growth. Incorrect
fertilization can reduce your
lawn's ability to withstand ex-
tremes of temperature and
moisture. Use fertilizer specifi-
cally formulated for lawns. Gar-
den fertilizers will generally not
be suitable for your lawn.
Lawn Pests
I oth weeds and insects
LJ are considered by most
homeowners to be
m^ harmful to the lawn. But
90 percent of the insects in
your lawn are not harmful.
Even a healthy lawn will have
some weeds, which should not
be a problem unless the turf
becomes weakened and thin.
For example, sheep sorrel is an
indicator that the soil pH needs
adjusting. Crabgrass can be ef-
fectively controlled with a pre-
emergence herbicide.
Study your lawn before
applying any herbicides or
insecticides. If you suspect a
problem, ask your cooperative
extension agent to help you
identify the problem and deter-
mine whether special treat-
ment is necessary. The pre-
Applying the proper
amount of fertilizer at the
proper time will help en-
sure a healthy lawn. Ex-
perts recommend that
fertilizer be applied three
times a year to already
established lawns. A soil
test will tell you the ap-
propriate combination of
nutrients to use.
11f///c(
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W
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-------
Mow your lawn to the proper height,
depending on the type of grass you
have.
ferred long-term strategy for a
healthy lawn includes using
sound management tech-
niques, especially mowing and
fertilization. Some aspects of
Integrated Pest Management
(1PM), especially hand weed-
ing, can also help. See page 21
for more information on IPM.
Occasionally, certain in-
sect activity may reach a level
where the use of an insecticide
is considered. Careful spot ap-
plication of insecticides may be
necessary when high popula-
tions are discovered, if other
control methods are not effec-
tive. Choose an insecticide that
is least harmful to other crea-
tures.
Seed 01 Sod?
/f you are creating a new
lawn, there are several
j factors to consider when
deciding whether to use
seed or sod. Seeding is initially
less expensive, but takes longer
to grow and may require weed
control measures. Sodding pro-
vides immediate erosion con-
trol and can be used at least a
month sooner than a seeded
area. Whatever you choose,
have the type of grass approved
by your state's Department of
Agriculture. For a description of
the types of grasses recom-
mended for your area, talk to
your county Cooperative Ex-
tension Service. Tall fescue va-
rieties are more drought- and
pest-resistant and are fre-
quently recommended.
The best time to seed is
from August 15 to September
30. During this time, there is
less competition from weeds,
and the early critical seeding
stage misses the really hot
weather. If you seed your lawn
in early September and man-
age it properly, the grass will
develop a root system and suf-
ficient top growth to survive the
winter and grow vigorously the
following spring. Many of the
weeds that germinate in fall
seedings will be killed by the
first hard frost. The next best
time for seeding lawn grasses,
and usually a poor second
choice, is from February 15 to
March 31.
Watering and Mowing
Overwatering and
mowing too closely
are the most com-
mon mistake we
make with our lawns. Once a
lawn is established, water it
only during very dry periods,
giving it only as much water as
the soil can absorb. Moisten
the soil to a depth of four to six
inches, which usually means
using about an inch of water.
Avoid frequent shallow water-
ings on established turf; it
causes shallow rooting, invites
crabgrass invasion, and en-
courages disease.
Mowing is also crucial to
the health of your lawn. Ac-
cording to turf specialists, the
mowing height is probably the
single most important factor in
the formation of healthy turf.
Bluegrass or fescue should be
from two to four inches in
height and cut frequently
enough that no more than a
third of the leaf area is re-
moved. Bermudagrass and zoy-
siagrass should be mowed
when they reach a height of
one-half to one inch.
A Ward About Lawn Services
awn services are an in-
creasingly popular alter-
native for lawn mainte-
•• nance. You should know
that some companies operate
on a mass-production basis,
with a fixed number of treat-
ments a year in which cus-
tomers are given a standard
mixture of fertilizer and pesti-
cides to deal with problems
that might occur. You want a
lawn company that will custo-
mize its service to your lawn's
needs. Many of the lawn com-
panies follow programs that
have been prescribed by turf-
grass specialists and use prod-
ucts that you can buy and
apply yourself. Misuse of these
chemicals can pose health risks
to people, pets, and wildlife ar-
ound your home. Herbicide
misuse can cause damage to
susceptible plants.
You need to be sure the
company you choose does a
soil test before applying any
fertilizer or pesticides. Some
people are very concerned
about the pesticides, used on
lawps and shrubs. Before sign-
ing a lawn care contract, make
sure the company is reputable,
tailors its chemical use to spe-
cific lawn needs, notifies you
about the pesticides they are
using, gives you*a copy of the
label, and has adequately
trained personnel.
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
awns benefit
the environ-
ment and add
•B to the value
and beauty of your
home. Keep these
things in mind when
planning and main-
taining your yard:
• Plant the right
grass for your
locale.
• Test your soil once
per year.
• Use the right fer-
tilizer at the right
time.
• Don't overwater
your lawn.
• Mow to the proper
height—this is
critical to the
health of your
lawn.
• Try Integrated
Pest Management
to control weeds
and insects (see
page 21).
• Consider ground-
cover plants as
well as grass.
'^ ,\ »,'
s\ '<*«.•«'
0 ?Mf
1
P*
One inch of water in dry
weather will wet the so/I
to a depth of four to six
inches.
L
W
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Chapter 9
Watch Your Garden Grow
any of us enjoy
growing our own
vegetables, fruits,
flowers, and herbs.
By using the right gardening
techniques, you too can pro-
duce plants to be proud of
while preserving the soil and its
fertility, enhancing the absorp-
tion of rainfall, and protecting
local streams from sediments
and chemicals.
To get the most out of
your garden, it's important to
pick the right spot for planting.
Choose a sunny location with
good natural drainage. Plant
your garden on a fairly level
site-, avoid sloping areas and
drainage channels, which let
topsoil wash away during
heavy rains.
Dealing With Slopes
ff your garden is located on
a slope, you can use the
same techniques that
farmers use on hilly fields to
ensure good crops. Plant across
the slope, not up and down the
hill. This way, each row acts
like a ridge (what farmers call
contour planting) to trap rain-
fall. Contour planting prevents
soil and plant nutrients from
washing downhill. On long
slopes, it's a good idea to leave
strips of grass that also run per-
pendicular to the slope. This
helps keep the rainwater and
soil where it belongs by forcing
runoff to slow down and soak
in. These grass strips should be
wide enough to allow easy ac-
cess to your plants and vegeta-
bles.
Flower beds can be
planted on steep slopes to
beautify the landscape and sta-
bilize the soil. Since the beds
are usually permanent, you
may want to construct retain-
ing walls to hold the hillside in
place and add to the appear-
ance of your home. On longer
slopes, the hillside can be
stepped, or terraced, with a
garden strip planted on each
level area. Whether a series of
retaining walls is used or not
depends on how steep your
slope is. On moderate slopes,
the area between each level
terrace should be a short, rela-
tively steep slope. Such ter-
race/slopes must be densely
planted with grass or other
plants to stabilize the soil.
Enhancing Fertility
Though there are many
ways to make a garden
more productive, meet-
ing the nutrient needs of
the plants in your particular
plot is the most important con-
sideration. Many garden soils
can benefit from the addition of
organic matter and other nu-
trients. Composted vegetable
scraps, grass cuttings, and
leaves are excellent sources of
both, and the more that goes in
your compost pile, the less that
goes in the already over-
crowded landfill. Mulching can
also add nutrients, make the
soil more workable, aid rain-
water penetration, and improve
the moisture-retaining capacity
of the soil near plant roots.
You should also mulch to
minimize bare, exposed soil in
your garden. Unprotected
ground loses nutrients and
needed topsoil much more
quickly than planted soil. Bare
soil places added stress on
nearby plants by expanding
temperature extremes and re-
ducing available soil moisture.
In addition to mulching, con-
sider closer plantings of differ-
ent, but compatible, plant spe-
cies to make the most out of
your working garden area.
Winter cover crops are
highly recommended for vege-
table plots. Rye, barley, and
wheat are suitable for fall
planting (two to three pounds
of seed per 1000 square feet of
ground). The cover crop holds
the soil during the winter and
adds organic matter to the soil
when it is turned under the fol-
lowing spring. You can also
plant shrubs or small trees as
windbreaks around the garden
to control wind erosion in
sandy areas and to further pro-
tect bare soil from exposure to
the elements.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT BUGS
Kour vegetable garden can suffer severe
damage from insects and diseases. The fol-
lowing preventive measures lessen the likeli-
ood that serious problems will develop:
Rotate crops so that the same or a related crop does
not occupy the same area every year. Repeated
plantings encourage insect infestation and the
buildup of soil diseases.
Keep old sacks, baskets, decaying vegetables and
other rubbish that may harbor insects and disease
out of garden.
Time plantings to avoid peak of insect infestations.
For example, plant squash as early as possible to
avoid borers that lay eggs in July. If you're going to
plant a second squash crop, plant after mid-July to
avoid the borers. Keep a record of the date insect
problems occur for future reference.
Inspect plants for egg clusters, bean beetles, cater-
pillars, and other insects early each morning. Hand
pick such pests and destroy them. The squash
borer can sometimes be cut out of the stems with a
sharp knife, providing you cut parallel to the stem
and no more than halfway through
Dislodge pests with a spray of water. This works
with aphids, red spider mites, and mealybugs.
Construct insect barriers: Place screens over the
plants; wrap aluminum foil around the plant base
to limit cutworm damage.
-. If you're having slug problems, place flat boards
next to the plants. After the slugs crawl under the
boards to escape sunlight, lift the boards and de-
stroy the slugs.
Mulch cuts down on
weeds and the need for
water. Mulch can be
straw, grass clippings,
wood chips, leaves, or
R
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Gardening on slopes can
be a problem Create
contours with plants in
rows perpendiculai to the
slope to prevent erosion
Less Toxic Pest Control
Products
hen used accord-
ing to label in-
structions, the four
products listed below
are less toxic to the environ-
ment than other commercially
available products. The prod-
ucts are available at garden
stores with large inventories.
Insecticidd Soap
This natural soap destroys pest
membranes. It is effective
against: aphids, mealybugs,
white flier, scales, earwings,
rose slugs, crickets, spittlebugs,
and many more.
BT(Bacillus ThuringiensisJ
BT is particularly effective
against leaf-eating caterpillars.
It kills them by paralyzing the
digestive tract.
Milky Spore
Milky spore is a natural bacte-
ria that kills the grub phase of
Japanese beetles. The milky
spores actually remain alive in
the soil, preventing new infes-
tations for a few years.
Dormant Oil Sprays
Oil sprays can be used either
during the dormant or growing
season to control scale insects,
red spider, mites, mealybugs,
and whitefly larvae on shrubs,
evergreens, woody plants, fruit
trees, shade trees, azaleas,
roses, and other ornamentals.
Fertilizer
Certilizers are designed
to supplement the nu-
trients already present
in your soil. (See the
chapter on lawns for more de-
tailed information on which
fertilizer or combination of fer-
tilizers is right for the soil in
your garden.) Know what your
soil requires before you apply
any fertilizer.
Too much fertilizer can
damage roots, and the excess
can reach your local stream
and lead to water pollution
problems. Avoid applying fertil-
izer on windy days or just prior
to a heavy rain. For best re-
sults, always apply commercial
fertilizers according to the di-
rections on the bag.
Controlling Pests
mong the many ways
you can control gar-
den pests are to:
Use pest-resistant
flowers, plants, and vegeta-
bles whenever possible
Handle minor pest problems
by hand weeding and de-
stroying insects
Wrap tomato stems in alumi-
num foil to stop cut worms
Plant borders to repel insects
Encourage ladybugs, praying
mantises, and other insects
that eat garden pests
Use pesticides only when
other methods have failed,
and use them according
to the manufacturer's
instructions
Seek expert advice if
none of the above
measures works
Some insects will eat
garden pests, precluding
the need for chemical
pesticides. Examples of
"good" bugs are lady-
bugs, praying mantises,
lacewings, dark ground
beetles, soldier beetles,
and the larvae of lightning
bugs.
R
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Chapter 10
Pesticides: Handle With
Care
o many homeowners,
pest control is synony-
mous with chemicals,
and quick eradication is
the goal. Pesticides is an um-
brella term that includes herbi-
cides, insecticides, fungicides,
and rodenticides. Designed to
kill "pests," this big family of
chemicals can also be danger-
ous to human health and the
environment. There is consid-
erable controversy about the
potential risks associated with
pesticides. Some toxicologists
believe that pesticides can trig-
ger allergic reactions or cause
chronic health problems, while
other toxicologists say that if
used properly, pesticides pose
no significant risks to human
health unless a person is ex-
posed to too much either
through a large exposure (such
as a spill), or through small ex-
posures over a long period of
time, particularly if no protec-
tive clothing is used.
Pesticides first became an
environmental issue for many
people with the publication of
Rachel Carson's book Silent
Spring in 1962. Since then, the
regulatory approach to pesti-
cides has been changed by
Congress, which amended the
1947 Federal Insecticide, Fun-
gicide and Rodenticide Act
(F1FRA) in 1972. FIFRA gave to
the Environmental Protection
Agency the job of re-registering
all pesticides then on the mar-
ket. The re-registration process
includes a detailed examina-
tion of data on safety as well as
both short-term (acute) and
long-term (chronic) health ef-
fects. Tb date, about 200 of the
600 principal active chemical
ingredients in commercially
available pesticides have been
re-registered. Therefore, it is
not correct to assume that be-
cause a product is available in
your local hardware or garden
store, it has undergone rig-
orous environmental and
health effects evaluation
procedures.
Some pesticides that were
once widely used have now
been banned or severely re-
stricted. These include DDT,
chlordane. aldrin, heptachlor,
dieldrin, lindane, silvex,
tributyltin and 2,4,5-T. In the
Bay states, chlordane is
registered only for use against
termites but must be applied in
a very specific manner. In
Maryland, chlordane has been
found in fish tissue. Check with
your Cooperative Extension
Service concerning disposal of
these products.
Alternatives to Pesticides
l may be possible to con-
trol a pest problem with-
out a pesticide. Check the
chart on integrated pest
management on the next page
and the gardening ideas on
page 18. In some cases, alter-
natives that are nontoxic are
readily available. For example,
to deter termites, remove wood
piles near your home. Your
county Cooperative Extension
Service can provide advice on
the best strategy for controlling
pests in and around your
home. Alternative methods of
pest control should be consid-
ered before you consider use of
a commercial pesticide.
Minimizing Pesticide
Hazards
o minimize the poten-
tial hazards of pesti-
cides, follow these guide-
lines:
Read the label carefully.
Buy only the quantity you
need.
Wear any protective clothing
specified on the label.
Wash your hands immedi-
ately after applying the pesti-
cide.
Apply only the amount spec-
ified on the label and only to
the plants and areas listed in
the instructions.
Make sure people and pets
are out of the area during ap-
plication and until the spray
has dried.
Some counties in Maryland
have passed ordinances re-
quiring that a warning sign
be posted on the sprayed
area for at least two days
after application.
Cover or remove exposed
foods, fish tanks, and pet
food and water dishes during
and after application.
Never apply near wells,
streams, ponds, or marshes
unless the instructions spe-
cifically allow for such use.
Never apply to bare ground
or eroded areas (when it
rains, many pesticides bind
tightly to soil and can be car-
ried along with sediments to
storm sewers and streams).
Don't apply if rain is forecast
unless otherwise specified
on the label (some pesticides
do need to be watered in
after application).
Choose the least toxic pesti-
cide (those with the signal
word "caution" on the label
are considered least toxic
whereas the signal word
"warning" indicates moder-
ate toxicity).
S
T
Pesticides con be toxic to
humans, animals, aquatic
organisms, and plants
Always read the label
carefully before using a
pesticide in or around
your home
ENVIRONMENTAL WARNINGS
L
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Storage
oisonings and environ-
mental contamination
have occurred where
pesticides were stored
improperly. To be safe, you
should store unused pesticides
in an area well away from living
areas. The place you choose
should have a cement floor, be
well-lit and well-ventilated, in-
sulated from temperature ex-
tremes, out of direct sunlight,
and out of a child's reach. For
example, a locked metal cabi-
net in your garage is usually a
good storage place for pesti-
cides. Always keep pest control
products in their original con-
tainers with labels intact. Most
pesticides stored under these
conditions should remain ef-
fective for two years, although
this varies widely.
Spills
t can be extremely diffi-
cult to completely decon-
taminate an area when a
pesticide has been spilled.
For this reason, you never want
to store these products in the
kitchen or other living areas.
If a pesticide leaks or is
spilled in the garage, on the
driveway, or other outdoor
areas, do not hose down the
spill. This will cause further
contamination and may carry
the pesticide to storm sewers or
other water sources. The best
way to clean a small spill is to:
Surround the contaminated
area with dirt.
Sprinkle sawdust, kitty litter,
vermiculite, or some other
absorbent material over the
spill.
Shovel or sweep the absor-
bent material into a sturdy
plastic bag and put it in the
trash.
Wear rubber gloves, long
pants, and rubber boots
while cleaning up.
Keep pets and other people
away.
Wash down the area (if a
garage floor or other hard
surface) with a solution of
water and bleach, ammonia,
or a strong detergent.
If pesticides spill directly
into water, notify public health
authorities and your state fish
and game agency immediately.
Keep people and pets away
from the spill. In small streams,
it may be possible for you to
prevent further contamination
by building a soil dike down-
stream from the spill.
What To Do With Leftovers?
esticides should never
be buried in your yard,
burned, or poured into
storm drains or your toi-
let. Some pesticides and their
containers release toxic fumes
when burned or wetted, and
sewage treatment plants do not
employ the kinds of microbes
that would neutralize the pesti-
cide's harmful effects. Septic
systems can be harmed by pes-
ticides as well. The best
method for safely disposing of
pesticides is to buy only as
much as you plan to use within
a two-year period, and to use
them up according to label in-
structions.
Federal law now requires
that pesticides made for home
use be labeled as to the appro-
priate disposal method. Again,
it is essential that you read the
label carefully and follow its di-
rections. Consult your county
Cooperative Extension agent
for guidance in disposal of
older pesticides with unread-
able labels.
Pest Control Companies
Pests inside the home—
termites, cockroaches,
insects, and mice—
often mean professional
pest control services for the
consumer. Check out the com-
pany before you sign a con-
tract, and insist on knowing
what pesticides they plan to
use. The pest control operator
should be willing to give the
consumer a copy of the pesti-
cide label, explain why a par-
ticular pesticide has been cho-
sen for the job, describe what
techniques will be used, and
list the precautions you may
need to take after the operator
leaves.
WHAT IS INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT (IPM)?
Currently there are two opposing philosophies
of pest control practices in the management of
landscape plants and lawns. The oldest and
most common approach places relatively com-
plete reliance on the use of synthetic chemical pesti-
cides, even to the point of spraying on a regular basis for
preventive purposes. The newer concept, called Inte-
grated Pest Management or IPM, emphasizes frequent
monitoring to assess pest population buildup, and the
evaluation of all factors including environmental effects,
before pesticides are applied. Some IPM tactics that may
reduce or eliminate the need for pesticide sprays are
listed below.
• Natural predators: introducing the types of animals
that will naturally gobble up pests. Ladybugs, lacew-
ings, praying mantids, garter snakes and toads are all
examples of natural predators that eat insect pests.
• Habitat Changes: changing the habitat to physically
control many pest species. For example, by getting rid
of all the old tires in your neighborhood you can cut
down on the number of mosquitoes breeding in your
area. (The tires fill up with rainwater, making perfect
breeding sites for mosquitoes.)
• Timing: regulating planting and harvesting to avoid
those times when insects are most abundant and
damaging.
• Mechanical: removing eggs, larvae, cocoons, and
adults from plants by hand.
• Resistant plants: when buying plants for the garden
always request those that are relatively free of major
pests and diseases.
• Growing conditions: plants such as azaleas that re-
quire some shade are more susceptible to pests when
grown in full sun. Moisture and pH levels also affect a
plant's ability to withstand stress and pests.
• Mixed plantings: planting mixed stands of trees or
crops instead of planting large areas with just one type
of plant. Mixed stands are not as susceptible to
insect damage.
• Natural pathogens and parasites: introducing bacte-
ria, viruses, and insect parasites that will kill pests but
won't harm other types of animals.
• Insect hormones: using insect hormones to prevent an
insect from growing into a sexually mature adult. (Just
as in people, hormones control growth and develop-
ment in insects.)
• Chemicals: using synthetic pesticides only as needed.
In IPM, chemicals are just one small part of the whole
plan. By studying an insect's life cycle, the right
amount of pesticide at the right time can be used ef-
fectively. Less pesticide and careful application mean
a more healthful environment and better pest control.
Reprinted from the Ranger Rick Nature Scope series with permission
from the National Wildlife Federation.
PEST
ON R 0
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Chapter 11
Be Cautious At Home
ome of the products
found in American
homes have chemical
ingredients that are po-
tentially harmful. Look under
the kitchen sink, in the
bathroom, the garage, and the
basement for examples. There
you'll find oven cleaners, paint
remover, bug killers, solvents,
drain cleaners, and more.
These products are potentially
harmful to people and to the
environment and should be
used with care.
Public concern about the
use and disposal of hazardous
chemicals has grown dramati-
cally in recent years. In 1976,
Congress passed the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA), which set up regula-
tory procedures governing gen-
eration, storage, transport,
treatment, and disposal of haz-
ardous materials. This was fol-
lowed in 1980 by the passage
of Superfund, which provides
money to clean up hazardous
waste sites such as the infa-
mous one at Love Canal. There
is, however, no regulation of
household hazardous wastes,
which must be taken care of by
the individual consumer.
This chapter of Baybook
describes the different catego-
ries of products commonly
used at home, and the appro-
priate disposal methods for
each.
Household Cleaners
any of the prod-
ucts used at home,
such as soaps and
detergents, are
meant to be washed down the
drain. These products are bio-
degradable and, if the waste-
water from your home is prop-
erly treated, they pose no
problem to the environment.
However, there are prod-
ucts commonly found on
kitchen shelves that are toxic to
people and to the environment
Oven cleaners, floor wax, furni-
ture polish, drain cleaners, and
spot removers are examples.
Check the labels of products
such as these for the following
toxic components: lye,
phenols, petroleum distillates,
trichlorobenzene. Products
containing these chemicals
pose a potential threat to
health, if improperly used, and
also present real environmental
hazards when it comes to dis-
posal.
It is often possible to use
an alternative, less toxic
method to clean or to polish.
Ovens, for example, can be
cleaned by applying table salt
to spills, then scrubbing with a
solution of washing soda and
water. A combination of lemon
oil and linseed oil makes a
good furniture polish. Clogged
drains can sometimes be
cleaned with a metal "snake"
instead of toxic chemical
cleaners.
When you feel that it is
absolutely necessary to use a
product containing toxic chem-
icals, some cautions should be
observed. As with pesticides,
the rule of thumb is to read the
label and to use the product
only as directed. Some prod-
ucts become even more dan-
gerous when mixed with
others; for example, chlorine
bleach mixed with ammonia
can produce deadly chloramine
gas. Protective clothing and
rubber gloves may be neces-
sary; good ventilation is a must.
A Word About Detergents
ne of the most-used
home cleaning
products is deter-
gent. Many of the
detergent products formulated
for automatic washing ma-
chines and dishwashers con-
tain phosphorus, which has
been shown to cause water
quality problems in lakes and
bays. The detergent industry
has responded to this problem
by developing products that
contain little or no phosphate.
For example, all liquid deter-
gents are phosphorus-free, as
are some powders. Again, the
label will clearly tell you the
phosphorus content. The range
is from about 13 percent, in
some automatic dishwashing
detergents, to none. When you
have a choice, buy the low
phosphorus product.
Home Maintenance
Products
mong the most toxic
household products
are those used for
home repair and
maintenance. Paints, preserva-
tives, strippers, brush cleaners,
and solvents contain a wide
range of chemicals, some of
which are suspected carcino-
gens (cancer-causing). These
products should never be put
into sewer or septic systems—
in other words, not down the
drain.
To reduce disposal prob-
lems, buy only what you need.
Used turpentine or brush
cleaner can be filtered and
reused. Paint cans and other
containers should be stuffed
with newspaper and allowed to
dry before placing in the trash.
Hobby supplies such as
photographic chemicals are
also hazardous and should not
go down the drain.
I
Household chemicals,
especially petroleum-
based formulas, are po-
tentially toxic and not
readily biodegradable. All
household chemicals
should be used with care
i i i
/
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
-------
Car Care
otor oil, battery
acid, gasoline, car
wax, engine
cleaners, antifreeze,
degreasers, radiator flushes,
and rust preventatives are ex-
amples of automotive products
containing toxic chemicals.
Some car owners do their own
maintenance work: 25 percent
change their car's oil, and
many of these people pour the
used oil down the storm drain.
One quart of oil can contami-
nate up to two million gallons
of drinking water. The oil from
one engine—four to six quarts
—can produce an eight-acre oil
slick.
The only recommended
way to dispose of used oil is to
put it into a sturdy container,
like a plastic milk jug, and take
it to your neighborhood garage
or oil recycling center. Mary-
land, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
and the District of Columbia all
have a number you can call to
find an oil recycling station
near your home.
Disposing of antifreeze is
also a problem. Antifreeze con-
tains ethylene glycol, which is
poisonous to people, fish, and
wildlife. Many cats and dogs
have died after drinking sweet
tasting puddles of antifreeze
they find on driveways in the
winter.
Instead of pouring anti-
freeze down the drain or wash-
ing it into storm drains, ask
your local service station to add
the liquid to their used anti-
freeze storage drum. You can
also dilute the antifreeze and
pour the mixture into a gravel
pit or any area with good drain-
age. This method takes advan-
tage of the soil's natural filter-
ing capacity.
Disposing of Household
Joxics
rhe kinds of household
toxics described in this
chapter should not be
disposed of "down the
Oil can be recycled. Used oil and
antifreeze should be token to your
local service station for recycling.
Never hose oil or antifreeze down into
your stormdrain
/ ^-^ >.
A 7^-
/.<... __^
u/'//
drain." Your drain leads either
to a home septic system or a
municipal treatment plant, nei-
ther of which is designed to
completely remove toxic chem-
icals from wastewater. At least
some of the toxics pass through
the treatment process and end
up in a stream, river, or
groundwater. Read the section
in this guide on septic systems
for further cautions.
Effective sewage treat-
ment is essential for treating
the large volume of wastewater
that comes from our homes.
Improving municipal treatment
plants is a part of the strategy
to clean up Chesapeake Bay.
Well-run treatment plants can
remove some nutrients, or-
ganic materials, and heavy
metals from wastewater. The
chlorine used to disinfect can
also be removed by a process
called dechlorination. Individ-
uals and communities should
insist that the publicly-owned
treatment plants that serve
them are maintained and oper-
ated at peak efficiency. This
may mean added cost to con-
sumers, but is essential to good
water quality in our rivers and
Bay.
The products described in
this chapter should also never
be poured on the ground or
into gutters where they will
eventually enter storm sewers,
which generally lead directly to
a nearby stream.
In many areas, the only
available disposal method is
the local landfill. While proba-
bly better than flushing a toxic
chemical down the drain, land-
fills are not a good long-term
solution to our waste disposal
problems. New energy needs to
go into finding better solutions.
Where household hazard-
ous wastes must be sent to a
landfill, a couple of steps can
be taken to reduce the environ-
mental risk. First, wrap the
product in its original container
in newspaper, and then wrap
in an old plastic bag. Liquids
can be poured into containers
filled with absorbent kitty litter,
then wrapped in plastic.
Some states are dealing
with the problem of hazardous
household wastes by sponsor-
ing amnesty days. On amnesty
day, small quantities of your
unwanted household chemi-
cals and pesticides are col-
lected and disposed of in an
approved facility. The actual
collection and disposal of the
waste should be performed by
technicians who know Which
chemicals should not be mixed
together. Amnesty days are de-
signed to educate the general
public about the potential haz-
ards of improper use and dis-
posal of consumer products
that contain toxic chemicals.
Check with your state or county
government to Find out about
amnesty days in your area.
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
m m ere are
LgJ some gen-
I eral rules of
• • thumb for
handling and dispos-
ing of household
chemicals:
* Read the label—
know what you
are buying and
what the potential
hazards are.
• Store products in
their original con-
tainers so the
label can be re-
ferred to when-
ever the product is
used.
• Use alternative,
less harmful prod-
ucts whenever
possible (for ex-
ample, boric acid
is very effective in
controlling
roaches).
• Use the least toxic
product you can
find and never
buy more than
you need.
• Dispose of your
unwanted house-
hold chemicals in
sanitary landfills.
Pour liquids such
as cleaning fluids
into a plastic con-
tainer that is filled
with kitty litter or
stuffed with news-
paper. Allow it to
dry outdoors be-
fore taking it to
the landfill.
• Take used motor
oil and antifreeze
to a gas station
with an oil recy-
cling program.
Insist on effective
sewage treatment
for your commu-
nity.
OUS OLD CHEMICALS
-------
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W A T E R CONS RVATION
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Chapter 12
Where Does Water Go?
veryone knows about
water conservation. In
the western United
mm States, the limited avail-
ability of drinking water has
made water conservation man-
datory. In other areas, reducing
water use is sometimes neces-
sary when groundwater sup-
plies are contaminated by
landfills, toxic waste dumps,
saltwater intrusion, or when
drought reduces surface water
supplies.
To understand the impor-
tance of water conservation, it
helps to understand where
water goes. A certain percent-
age of all freshwater used in
the Bay area is lost through
evaporation. These losses total
hundreds of millions of gallons
daily, and they are increasing.
As a result of water loss,
freshwater inflows to the Bay
are declining. This means that
during dry spells, the salt con-
tent of the Bay increases signif-
icantly, which, in turn, can
drastically alter the Bay ecosys-
tem. Water conservation meas-
ures can help maintain fresh-
water inflows to the Bay and
prevent the adverse conse-
quences of too much salt.
Water conservation is
good for more than just the
Bay. Reducing your water use
can mean substantial savings
on your sewer, energy, and
water bills. For those with sep-
tic tanks (30 percent of the
population), conserving water
reduces wear and tear on your
system, and requires less en-
ergy for pumping well water.
Beyond Your Home
idespread reduc-
tion in water
usage could reduce
the need for new or
expanded sewage treatment fa-
cilities. If the amount of water
every family uses is reduced, so
is the volume of water entering
our sewage treatment plants.
The tax dollars saved by not
having to expand existing
plants can be used to improve
water treatment techniques.
Only 4 of the 100 gallons
of water we each use every day
are actually necessary. We can
decrease water consumption in
our homes by 15 to 20 percent
without major discomfort or
expense. All we have to do is
acquire good water use habits.
Many conservation techniques
are simple, common sense
ideas.
The first step in conserv-
ing water around your home is
to check for and eliminate any
leaks in faucets, toilets, hoses,
and pipes. At the water pres-
sure found in most household
plumbing systems, a Viz" open-
ing in a faucet can waste up to
6000 gallons of water per
month. A steady drip wastes 20
gallons a day. A leaking toilet
can waste 200 gallons of water
a day without making a sound.
Water conservation is as
simple as thinking before you
turn on the faucet. Many of us
developed our water use habits
before the time of water short-
ages and water quality prob-
lems. Now that we understand
the potential impact of the way
we use water, it should be easy
to make water conservation a
part of our everyday lives.
A dripping faucet wastes
20 gallons of water every
day That's 6000 gallons
of water a month, 72,000
gallons in a year!
WHAT YOU CAN DO
M M se these simple guidelines to make sure you
• m aren't wasting water without knowing it:
t m • Test for a leaking toilet by adding food col-
%l^ oring to the tank. Without flushing, note if
any color appears in the bowl after 30 minutes. If
color appears, you have a leak.
• Check your water meter while no water is being
used. If the dial moves, you have a leak.
• Turn off your water and hot water heater when
going on a trip.
• Run your dishwasher only when you have a full
load. Use the cycles with the least number of
washes and rinses.
• Don't run water continuously when washing dishes
in the sink.
• Add your garbage to the compost or trash instead of
putting it down the garbage disposal. Disposals not
only use a great deal of water, but they also add
solids to an already overloaded sewer system.
• Wash clothes only when you have a full load. Set
the water level control appropriately. The perma-
nent press cycles may use an additional 10 to 20
gallons of water.
• Buy a suds-saver washing machine when you need
to buy a new machine.
• Install a water conservation shower head. They are
inexpensive and reduce flow by at least 25 percent.
• Place two half-gallon plastic bottles filled with
water in your toilet tank. This cuts the number of
gallons used per flush from five to four.
• Take short showers instead of a bath. Remember,
baths can use 30 to 50 gallons of water.
• Do not let water run in the sink while shaving,
brushing your teeth, or lathering your face and
hands.
• Water your lawn and wash your car only when ab-
solutely necessary.
• Wash one section of the car at a time and rinse it
quickly. Use a hose that is high pressure, low-vol-
ume, and has a pistol grip nozzle.
• Water your lawn during the coolest part of the day
to avoid rapid evaporation.
WA ER CONSERVA ION
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Chapter 13
Boating on the Bay
ecreational boating
provides relaxation
and enjoyment for
many thousands of Bay
area residents. Boating is also
an important Bay industry,
bringing in $5 to $7 billion in
revenue each year. However,
boating also contributes to the
Bay's environmental problems.
All of us—especially boaters—
have a lot to lose if Bay waters
continue to deteriorate. As a
boat owner, you can play a
major role in improving water
quality in the Bay. The first step
is to understand the potential
impact of your boating activi-
ties. By understanding, you
help ensure that you won't
damage the Bay that brings you
so much pleasure.
Boats Cause Erosion
n narrow creeks and
coves, boat wakes contrib-
ute to shoreline erosion.
While this loss of land is a
problem for shorefront prop-
erty owners, it also affects
boaters. Eroded sediments
create unwanted shoals, cause
shallowing, and cut off light to
underwater life, especially
plants. All this creates tremen-
dous problems for the Bay eco-
system.
The extent of shoreline
erosion caused by boat wakes
depends on the wake's energy.
This energy, in turn, is related
to four factors: distance from
the shore, hull size, boat speed,
and creek depth. To minimize
shoreline erosion, boats should
not produce wakes within 500
feet of the shore.
In many tributaries and
coves, a boat speed only two
knots above the posted six-knot
limit creates a wake with great
erosive force. The impact of
your boat's wake on shoreline
erosion can be greatly reduced
if you slow down before, not
after, the speed limit marker.
Speed limits were designed to
protect both you and the ma-
rine environment.
Chemicals on Board
he phosphates in the
soap you use to wash
your boat contribute to
excessive algal growth in
the Bay. If you rinse and scrub
your boat with a brush after
each use instead of using soap,
you will be helping the Bay. If
your boat is stained, use phos-
phate-free soap or laundry de-
tergent to get it clean. When
possible, avoid products that
remove stains and make your
boat shine. They are extremely
toxic. Products with warnings
on the label can kill marine life
if washed overboard.
Fuel overflows from gas
tanks are dangerous to people
and toxic to fish and other
aquatic life. The traditional
method for determining if you
have a full tank is to look for
fuel spilled from the tank over-
flow vent. You can prevent
these overflows by estimating
fuel consumption relative to
your tank capacity. With a little
practice, you will become an
expert at gauging when your
tank is full.
The Chesapeake Bay is
suffering from the effects of
nutrient enrichment, which
contributes to algal blooms and
oxygen depletion. Human
waste contains disease-carry-
ing bacteria and the very nu-
trients that are choking the
Bay. By minimizing or elimi-
nating the discharge of boat
sewage, you will be helping the
Bay survive and flourish.
There is increasing con-
cern about the effect of chlo-
rine on aquatic life. Many Type
I and Type II marine sanitation
devices use chlorine and other
disinfectants. The adverse im-
pact of chlorine can be les-
sened if you discharge waste
only in waters deeper than 20
feet, where tidal movement will
disperse the contaminated
waste. Boats with Type III sys-
tems and those berthed at ma-
rinas should use on-shore sani-
tary facilities. Because marina
pilings hamper the water's abil-
ity to flush through the area,
overboard dumping at a slip
Boats can damage the
environment if they aren't
used and maintained with
care. Boat wakes cause
shoreline erosion, bot-
tom paints are toxic, and
boat wastes add to water
pollution. Follow the sug-
gestions listed here to
make your boat a non-
polluter!
R
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will deteriorate water quality in
the immediate area of your
boat and lead to foul-smelling
water.
Trash is the most visible
kind of Bay pollution. You
should designate a storage area
on your boat specifically for
trash. Beer cans and tabs, styro-
foam cups, plastic bags, and
other debris can trap, injure,
and kill aquatic life. Most of
this debris doesn't disintegrate;
instead, it remains in the Bay
for years.
Maintaining Your Boat
Boats are normally
hauled once a year for
repairs, painting, and
general maintenance.
Many of the cleaning, dissolv-
ing, and painting agents used
for maintenance are toxic to
aquatic life. A few simple pre-
cautions can prevent these
chemicals from unduly harm-
ing the Bay.
Copper and tributyltin
(TBT) bottom paints, used to
prevent fouling, cause particu-
lar environmental damage. In
fact, the use of tributyltin is
now greatly restricted by fed-
eral legislation. Bottom paints
are a necessary evil, but their
impact can be lessened if you
control the amount that enters
the Bay. When scraping the
boat bottom, catch the scrap-
ings with a drop cloth. Throw
the cloth away when you're
finished. If you don't have a
drop cloth, sweep up the scrap-
ings and throw them in the
trash.
Marina owners and oper-
ators can participate in the Bay
cleanup effort. By installing
and maintaining a used oil
drum, they make it easier to re-
cycle your boat's oil. If the
marina needs new pavement,
encourage the operator to use
the porous asphalt discussed in
chapter 6. Any of the practices
that increase infiltration (see
chapters 1, 2, and 3) will also
help the Bay. Marinas also pro-
vide logical places for the dis-
tribution of educational mate-
rials to boaters.
Swimming Pools
any of us enjoy
the pleasures of a
backyard swim-
ming pool. Pools re-
quire substantial doses of
chemicals, especially chlorine,
to keep the water bacteria-free.
If you have to drain your pool,
take care to prevent the chlo-
rine from contaminating storm
drains or nearby streams. Since
chlorine dissipates rapidly, you
should allow the pool water to
sit for a few days before drain-
ing. Wherever possible, drain
your pool onto an expanse of
lawn to take full advantage of
the filtering capacity of the soil.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
ey observing the precautions outlined in this
chapter, you will be helping to preserve the
Bay for the enjoyment of many more genera-
ions of boaters, swimmers, and water sports
enthusiasts:
*; Observe posted marine speed limits
* Do not produce wakes within 500 feet of the shore
• Use phosphate-free detergents if you must wash
your boat
Discharge boat sewage into waters deeper than 20
feet or use on-shore sanitary facilities
x Do not throw trash overboard
•' Use extreme caution when using cleansers, paint,
and antifouling compounds on your boat
•» Drain your pool only when necessary, and then
onto a large expanse of lawn to allow the chlorine
to dissipate and the water to filter slowly through
the soil
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R
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Chapter 14
Restoring the Bay
he water that eventually
finds its way into the
Chesapeake Bay drains
from countless parcels of
property like yours in hundreds
of counties in six states and the
District of Columbia. To reduce
pollution and restore the Bay
to its former productivity,
everyone—governments, com-
munities, and individuals—
must work together. The com-
mitments made by the federal
and state governments are a di-
rect response to public concern
about cleaning up the Bay.
This public partnership will
make the difference between
the Bay as it has been and the
Bay as we want it to be.
Many community groups
in the Bay area have already
organized activities and
projects designed to improve
water quality. This chapter de-
scribes educational activities
and projects designed to help
your community clean up and
protect local streams and rivers.
Getting Started
^^ arden clubs,
church and scout
groups, civic asso-
^te ciations, and service
organizations all have a stake
in improving local water qual-
ity. Groups such as these might
want to consider devoting one
or more meetings to learning
about the Bay. You could fea-
ture a knowledgeable speaker,
show a film, organize a panel
discussion with local officials,
or sponsor a half-day workshop
on Bay issues.
Your county or city plan-
ning department or any
number of Bay advocacy or-
ganizations can help you find
speakers for your meeting. Bay
advocacy organizations can
also loan films and slide shows
to your group. After you've had
one or two meetings about the
Bay, you can tackle a project
that will begin to have an effect
on water quality in your neigh-
borhood creek and in the Bay.
Your group should plan to
see the problems discussed in
your meetings about the Bay. If
your local sewage treatment
plant or landfill gives you cause
for concern, arrange a tour and
learn about the problems first-
hand. Invite your city or county
council member along to dis-
cuss ways of dealing with the
problems you see.
Take a Stream Walk
f there is a stream or creek
in your community, plan a
stream walk. There are sev-
eral excellent handbooks
that tell you how to find and
diagnose potential problems.
Walking a stream can alert you
to erosion problems, blockages
caused by fallen trees and
debris, highway and construc-
tion runoff, excessive algal
growth, poisoned fish, foul
smells, and direct discharge
into the stream. Mark the loca-
tion of potential problems on a
map, which your county gov-
ernment may be willing to pro-
vide for just that purpose.
After your stream walk,
you might want to organize a
community stream cleanup.
Debris in your local stream
causes drainage problems,
blocks fish migration, and can
lead to toxic contamination.
Besides, old washing ma-
chines, mattresses, trash bags.
and fallen trees don't do much
to improve the landscape. An
excellent source of information
about stream pollution and
cleanup is an organization
called Save Our Streams. SOS
will help you plan and execute
a community project. Their
number is listed in the Re-
sources section of this guide.
Educate your neighbors
about the damage the soft
WHAT YOU
CAN DO
fter reading
this guide,
you know
that there
are many changes
you and your family
can make in house-
hold routines to help
improve the quality
of water flowing into
the Bay. This
chapter of the Bay-
book is about how
you and your neigh-
bors can join to-
gether to make a real
difference in the fu-
ture of the vast es-
tuary known as the
Chesapeake Bay.
• Encourage your
church group,
civic association,
and other com-
munity groups to
get involved in the
area-wide efforts
to preserve and
restore the Bay
• Organize a stream
cleanup project in
your neighbor-
hood
• Let your elected
representatives
know that your
community is
concerned about
the quality of life
in and around the
Bay
• Call one of the
local Bay advo-
cacy organizations
for more informa-
tion about how
your group can
help monitor and
improve water
quality in the Bay
Become a
\ steward of the
Bay's natural i
I resources
C 0 M M U N I Y
ACT ON
-------
drink cans they toss away can
cause. Get everyone to remove
trash and leaves from their gut-
ters and stormdrains. This kind
of debris should be thrown in
the trash, not down the storm-
drain, where it contributes to
stream pollution.
Get Involved With
Government
you and your neighbors
can take part in com-
prehensive plan devel-
opment and the zoning
for your city or county.
Through this process, areas ad-
jacent to waterways can be
given special consideration.
One of the most effective ways
you can influence decisions
about how your county is de-
veloped or what happens with
the local sewage treatment
plant is to get your civic associ-
ation involved. Some of the
most successful citizen in-
volvement stories are the result
of community associations
tackling an issue, becoming in-
formed, challenging the "ex-
perts," conducting publicity
campaigns, and coming up
with an alternate plan.
The results of many sci-
entific studies suggest a strong
relationship between land use
and declining water quality in
the Bay. The health of the
Chesapeake Bay clearly de-
pends upon wise use of the
watershed. Controlling the ef-
fects of future growth is impor-
tant since the population in the
Bay region continues to in-
crease. By getting involved in
the planning stage, you can
help limit the adverse effects of
uncontrolled development.
Land use policy decisions
are a local government prerog-
ative in Maryland, Pennsylva-
nia, and Virginia. Each county
or town has a comprehensive
plan that forecasts needs and
suggests possible land uses for
the future. Some cities, towns,
and counties are zoned for par-
ticular uses. Certain areas are
designated for open land, resi-
dential or commercial develop-
ment, or agricultural uses.
These plans often take areas of
significant ecological impor-
tance into account. For more
information about how you can
participate in the planning
process, call your city or county
planning office.
If you're not a member of
your local civic association,
join. If there's no association in
your area, consider starting
one. For issues that affect more
than the immediate neighbor-
hood, a coalition of community
organizations may be effective.
Coalition newsletters are useful
tools for getting important in-
formation about Bay issues to
members quickly and inexpen-
sively.
Protecting the Bay: Good
Habits Begin at Home
Ctewardship—the wise
use of natural resources
—begins at home. Stew-
^^ards are people who use
natural resources wisely. This
guide is designed to help all of
us become stewards of the Bay.
Only when we understand how
our daily routines affect the
Bay can we restore its produc-
tivity and preserve its beauty.
By taking care when disposing
of household chemicals, using
pesticides only when abso-
lutely necessary, conserving
water, planting trees, shrubs,
and plants, and maintaining
your lawn, you are contributing
to Bay-wide cleanup efforts.
You can make a differ-
ence. That's the point of this
guide—to tell people that what
they do every day makes a dif-
ference for the Bay. And what-
ever you do to benefit the Bay
will, in the long run, benefit
you, your family, and your
community.
> w -Mi
T> •.- S&) tfri
COMMUNITY
AC ION
-------
hlle you can im-
plement many of
the suggestions of-
fered in this guide,
there are some areas where
you'll need more detailed ad-
vice. Find the issue you're
concerned about and call the
number listed for your state.
With these resources and the
information contained in the
Baybook, you will be pre-
pared to help preserve and
restore the Chesapeake Bay
and its watershed.
Foi a complete listing of
citizen groups, government
agencies, and business and
trade associations involved in
Chesapeake Bay issues, contact
the Alliance for the Chesapeake
Bay, Inc. (numbers on page 31)
and ask about "Chesapeake
Citizen D:
PREVENT EROSION ON YOUR
PROPERTY/TEST YOUR SOIL
Maryland Cooperative
Extension Service
(301) 405-2907
Pennsylvania Cooperative
Extension Service
(814) 863-0331
Virginia Cooperative
Extension Service
(703) 231-6705
(703) 231-6893 (soil test)
D.C. Cooperative
Extension Service
(202) 576-6951
FIND SUITABLE TREES FOR
SOIL STABILIZATION
Maryland Forest, Park
and Wildlife Service
(410) 974-3776
Pennsylvania Bureau of
Forestry
(717) 787-2703
Virginia Dept. of Forestry
(804) 977-6555
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CONCERNS
STABILIZE THE SHORELINE
U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers
(410) 962-3670
Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, Shore
Erosion Control
(410) 974-3727
Virginia Shoreline Erosion
Advisory Service (OCR)
(804) 642-7121
District of Columbia
Erosion Control
(202)404-1146
LEARN ABOUT SEPTIC
SYSTEM PLACEMENT
AND MAINTENANCE
Maryland Department
of the Environment
(410) 631-3652
In Virginia, call your county
health department
Pennsylvania Bureau of
Water Quality Management
(717) 787-2666
RECYCLE YOUR OIL
AND ANTIFREEZE
Maryland
* 1-800-473-2925
Virginia
* 1-800-552-3831 (oil)
* 1-800-424-9346 (antifreeze)
Local Government
Advisory Committee
1-800-446-5422
Pennsylvania
(717) 783-6004
District of Columbia
(202) 724-2100
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DISPOSE OF PESTICIDES AND
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
PROPERLY
Maryland
(301) 631-3305
Pennsylvania
•1-800-322-9214
Virginia
* 1-800-424-9346
District of Columbia
(202)404-1167
PREVENT EXCESSIVE EROSION
Maryland Department of
Agriculture
(410) 841-5865
Maryland Department of
the Environment
*1-800-922-8017
Virginia Department of
Conservation & Recreation,
Division of Soil & Water
Conservation
(804) 786-2064
Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental
Resources, Bureau of Land
and Water Conservation
(717) 787-5267
D.C. Department
of Consumer and
Regulatory Affairs
(202) 727-7170
Local USDA Soil Conser-
vation Service office
Local Soil Conservation
District office
ALERT OFFICIALS TO OIL OR
TOXIC CHEMICAL SPILLS
Maryland
(301) 974-3551
SHOW YOUR CONCERN
FOR THE BAY
If you want more information
about the Bay or your local
river or stream, or if you want
to become more involved in
issues affecting the Bay, call:
Alliance for the
Chesapeake Bay, Inc.
(410) 377-6270 (Maryland)
(717) 236-8825 (Perm.)
(804) 775-0951 (Virginia)
Chesapeake Regional
Information Service
1-800-662-CRIS
Chesapeake Bay
Foundation
(410) 368-8816 (Maryland)
(804) 780-1392 (Virginia)
(717) 234-5550 (Penn.)
Save Our Streams
(410) 969-0084
800-448-5826
CONTACT YOUR STATE AND
FEDERAL AGENCIES
Pennsylvania Department
of Environmental
Resources
(717) 783-2300
Virginia Council on
the Environment
(804) 786-4500
Maryland Department of
the Environment
(410) 631-3000
800-633-6101
District of Columbia
Department of Consumer
and Regulatory Affairs
(202) 727-7000
Governor's Ches. Bay
Communication Office
Virginia (and Fish Kills)
(804) 527-5200
Pennsylvania
1-800-541-2050
Environmental
Protection \ _
Agency \
(410) 267-0061
•NOTE; 800-523-2281
used within the designated area
R
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U
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his guide was con-
ceived by the Mary-
land State Soil
Conservation Commit-
tee, who recognized the need
for a publication that would
educate individuals about
I heir role in the Bay eco-
system. The Bay book was
written and produced by staff
from a consortium of organi-
zations: University of Mary-
land Cooperative Extension
Service, Chesapeake Bay
Foundation, Alliance for the
Chesapeake Bay, U.S. Soil
Conservation Service,
Maryland Department of
Health and Mental Hygiene,
Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, and
Maryland Department of
Agriculture.
We wish to thank the
following individuals for their
special contributions to this
publication:
Ralph Adkins
Amy Brown
Rodney A. Coggin
Thomas B. DeMoss
Kathy Fitzpatrick
Frances Flanigan
Katherine Gugulis
Janet Hardie Harvey
William Magette
Charles McClurg
Margaret Ordonnez
David Pitt
Kenneth Shanks
Ann Swanson
Thomas Turner
Richard Weismiller
David Yost
The Baybook was funded by a
grant from the Environmental
Protection Agency. Reprinting
was made possible by
generous contributions from
a number of corporations and
agencies.
This publication is not
copyrighted. Readers
are encouraged to
reproduce it for further
distribution. Individual
chapters can be copied
and included in your
organization's newslet-
ter or used as hand-
outs at meetings, with
credit to the Alliance
for the Chesapeake
Bay. Additional copies
are available in limited
number from the Alli-
ance for the
Chesapeake Bay, Inc.,
6600 York Road,
Baltimore, Maryland
21212, (410) 377-6270.
Design and Production:
Berns & Kay. Ltd
Washington. D.C.
Illustration: Lew Azzinaro
and Timothy Knepp
March 1993
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
-------
•
.
Reprinted courtesy of the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
in commemoration of
The National Geographic Society's exhibition "Chesapeake Changes'
Explorers Hall, March 26 to September 26, 1993
The Chesapeake Bay Program is the multi-governmental partnership that has been directing
and conducting the Chesapeake Bay restoration since 1983 "to improve and protect the
water quality and living resources of the Chesapeake Bay estuarine system." The
Chesapeake Bay Program includes the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia;
Washington, D.C.; the Chesapeake Bay Commission, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency representing the federal government; and participating Citizens Advisory Groups.
Chesapeake Bay Program
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