Working with students from the Oklahoma Water Survey at the University of Oklahoma, GRDA developed a series of pamphlets to provide information on a variety of topics to help area residents and businesses better understand how to protect their watershed.
Scroll down to view all BMPs (Best Management Practices) or click on one of the buttons below to jump straight to a specific BMP.
The best way to help protect your watershed is to understand what is flowing into your streams and lakes, how it gets there, as well as working to help reduce what causes problems downstream.
Much of what flows into our water bodies comes off of the land surrounding it. When it rains, water flows over the land, picking up things like trash, oil, leaves, fertilizer and pet waste. This all ends up in a water body as pollution. This form of pollution is known as nonpoint source pollution and is the biggest water quality issue in the United States.
To learn more, read the brochure here.
Look inside for information on water quality issues in your watershed, specific pollutants that impact water quality and what you can do to help protect your water supply.
Many common household products are considered hazardous waste which means they require special care and disposal. Knowing how to properly dispose of these products will protect you, your family and the environment. These include fertilizers, pesticides, cleaners, paints, and pool chemicals.
DOs
Be aware of free community household hazardous waste collection events.
Follow use and storage instructions on the label.
Separate household garbage from recycling.
Check the label before you pour something down the drain.
Find local hazardous waste drop-off sites or collection companies for household hazardous wastes such as paints and fertilizers.
Before you dispose of paint, let it dry. To speed up the drying process, you can add sawdust or kitty litter to the paint.
Take old electronics and batteries to approved disposal facilities.
DON’Ts
Mix products or household chemical wastes.
Store chemicals in containers other than their own.
Flush cleaning products such as ammonia, chlorine bleach, metal cleaners, oven cleaners, paint thinner, paint, or fertilizers down the drain.
Pour excess fertilizers on lawns or pavement.
Dispose of propane tanks, electronics such as TVs or computers, or fluorescent light bulbs in a trash bin.
To learn more, read the brochure here. (insert brochure)
Links to local waste management:
Delaware County: https://www.delawarecountysolidwaste.com/
Miami: https://www.miamiokla.net/183/Solid-Waste
Craig County Recycling: https://cardsrecycling.com/service-area/craig-county-oklahoma/
A rain garden is designed to treat stormwater runoff and allow more water to infiltrate. In your neighborhood, they benefit your pond by intercepting and limiting pollutants and reducing flooding. Rain gardens are vegetated, shallow basins in a landscape designed to collect and filter pollutants from stormwater runoff. They add beauty and can increase pollinator diversity in your lawn. Rain gardens are generally low maintenance; after establishment they often require little to no watering or weeding.
To learn more, read the brochure here.
Composting is recycling on an organic level. It uses waste that would otherwise be disposed of and turns it into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Using compost in your flower or vegetable garden improves its health and productivity, provides nutrients, and increases soil moisture, which reduces water demands.
One easy way to start composting is through gathering yard waste. Take the fall leaves, twigs and grass clippings, pile them up, turn them occasionally and ultimately you will have an organic fertilizer. By composting your yard waste, you are also reducing the amount of debris that is flowing into your waterways, improving water quality.
Ultimately, compost and its ability to retain water will reduce erosion, reduce runoff and improve downstream water quality by retaining pollutants such as heavy metals, oils, greases, herbicides and pesticides.
To learn more, read the brochure here.
Landscaping and a healthy lawn can improve the value of your property. Besides enhancing your home’s aesthetic beauty, low-maintenance landscaping and lawn care practices can contribute to a healthy environment.
Conventional landscaping and lawn care often involves practices that affect surrounding water bodies. Applying alternative practices to landscaping and lawn care reduces soil erosion, conserves water and improves soil fertility while protecting the natural environment.
To learn more, read the brochure here.
Inside you will find information on environmentally-friendly landscape design and lawn care that are not only low-maintenance, but can save you money and protect your local water bodies.
Grand Lake houses thousands boats full time in marinas and private docks. And every weekend, hundreds of more people load up their boats or personal watercraft and head to Grand Lake to enjoy some fun on the water. But, they may not stop to think about the impact they are having on the water quality of the lake. With so many people on the lake and its tributaries, recreational boating can leave pollutants and invasive species both in the water and on the land surrounding it.
How you maintain and care for your boat can reduce any impact you might have on the lake. Turn the page and learn how to properly maintain your boat or watercraft to help protect Grand Lake.
To learn more, read the brochure here.
If you live on Grand Lake, it is likely you have a dock, or use a dock to store your boat, fish from, or sometimes just enjoy the sunset. Proper maintenance of your dock helps keep your property values up and the time you spend on the dock, safe and enjoyable. GRDA does have some specific rules you have to follow regarding docks including permits for construction, modification and installation of docks, and installation and use of electricity on and around the dock. In addition, how you clean your dock can impact water quality.
To learn more, read the brochure here.
Inside, we have provided information on ways you can help protect Grand Lake when you clean, or make changes to your dock. Just remember, if you are making modifications, you might need a permit from GRDA before getting started!
A major issue facing many lakes is erosion along the shore. With its limestone and clay geography, Grand Lake is no exception. Erosion is caused by several factors including waves, stormwater runoff, wind, bank slope and lack of vegetation.
When too much soil gets washed into a lake, it can carry pollutants with it such as nutrients that can increase the amount of algae in the lake and can make the lake appear cloudy or red. Other problems caused by erosion include the loss of land and infrastructure damage.
To learn more about shoreline erosion and how to help prevent and repair it, read the brochure here. (insert brochure)
Rain barrels capture the water that runs off your roof and stores it for later use. Installing a rain barrel at your home helps reduce the amount of water running off your property, decreasing the amount of water and pollutants that end up in local water bodies.
The stored water can be used for a variety of purposes, including watering your flower beds or potted plants and in an emergency this water could be used to flush your toilet.
Ready-to-go rain barrels can be purchased at many stores, or if you want a fun DIY project, you can build and paint your own!
To learn more about rain barrels, read the brochure here.
Wetlands are areas where standing water collects, covering and saturating the soil. Wetlands play an important role across the globe. They act as the “Earth’s kidneys” soaking up and filtering pollutants, which gives us clean water to drink. They are also home to diverse wildlife and provide flood protection during storms. Because of their important functions, it is important that we work to conserve our wetlands.
To learn more about wetlands, read the brochure here.