Underwater Bay Grasses - How You Can Help

Everyone can help underwater bay grasses growing in the Bay and its tributaries. Follow these simple tips to do your part to help the Bay.

At Home

• Maintan your septic system by having it pumped out every three to five years.
• Reduce your use of garbage disposals, as they contribute unnecessary solids and grease to sewers and septic systems. Try creating a compost pile instead.
• Switch to low- or no-phosphorus dish detergents.

In Your Backyard

• Wait until fall to fertilize your lawn. Heavy spring rains wash fertilizers off our lawns and into local waterways, where they can fuel the growth of algae that impacts fish and blue crabs.
• Replace traditional springtime fertilizing with “grasscycling,” or leaving leftover grass clippings on your lawn after mowing. This is a natural fertilizer that can reduce 25 to 50 percent of your lawn’s nitrogen needs.
• If you must fertilize your lawn, make sure to follow directions on the product and use only the amount of fertilizer your lawn needs. Twice the product does not mean twice the results!
• Keep fertilizer off hard surfaces like walkways, driveways and streets, where it will easily wash into storm drains and streams.
• Pick up after your pet, whether in the yard, on the sidewalk or in a park. It’s a dirty job, but pet waste can contribute nutrients and bacteria to local water sources.
• In the fall, compost fallen leaves to reduce soil erosion and the need to fertilize.
• Start a kitchen scrap compost pile in a corner of your yard. By composting kitchen scraps rather than using a garbage disposal or throwing them away, you can create natural and beneficial soil conditioner that can be used as fertilizer for plants and gardens.
• Use electric lawn movers and tools instead of gas-powered ones, which have inefficient engines that produce more pollution per hour than cars.
• Use porous surfaces, such as pavers that allow water to filter into the soil, instead of asphalt or other impervious surfaces for your driveway or patio.
• Plant trees and shrubs, which reduce soil erosion and control runoff from your yard.
• Install a rain barrel to catch gutter water that runs off your roof. This water can then be used to water plants and gardens.
• Decrease the amount of mowed lawn area by planting shrubs, trees or gardens, or by letting grass grow to become a meadow.
• Spread mulch on areas of bare ground to help prevent erosion and runoff.
• Make sure gutters and sprinklers drain into grass or gravel areas to reduce runoff and increase absorption of rain water.

On the Road

• Reduce the amount of miles you drive by carpooling, walking, biking, telecommuting, using public transportation, or combining errands to save on extra trips.
• Avoid unnecessary idling, which wastes fuel, costs you money and pollutes the air, no matter how efficient your car is.

On the Water

• Observe wake laws, as large wakes from boats and personal watercraft in shallow waters can contribute to shoreline erosion and stir up bottom sediments, impacting underwater bay grasses. Boaters should observe no-wake laws and speed limits, and steer clear of shallow water grass beds.
• Keep human waste in a portable toilet or holding tank and only dispose of it at an approved disposal facility. Encourage your marina owner to maintain an adequate pump-out facility if one is not available.
• Maintain your boat’s engine to reduce exhaust and emissions.

At Work/School

• Instead of driving, walk, bike, or take a bus or train. If you must drive, consider carpooling.