When you are doing yard work this fall, it is important to pay attention to where you are putting your leaves and yard waste. This is because leaves cause problems for our local drainage systems. During and after rainfall, storm water gathers leaves from sidewalks and streets and pushes them down into storm drains. When leaves pile up into storm drains, it leads to a backup of water resulting in flooding on the street, lawns, and in nearby basements. Leaves and yard waste can degrade the water quality of the Chattahoochee and other local streams. The degrading leaves release phosphorus and nitrogen into the storm drains and water ways. The phosphorus and nitrogen leaks into local streams and can create algae blooms which can be dangerous to animals and people nearby. Degrading leaves reduce available habitat for aquatic animals and can also decrease the amount of oxygen available for these same aquatic species.
Keep these 5 easy tips in mind when doing yard work this fall:
- Bag leaves and place them in front of your yard for curbside pickup. Roswell picks up yard waste weekly that is placed in paper composing sacks or a 50-gallon metal or plastic container, limited to 12 bags.
- Leave grass clippings on your lawn, it can also be good fertilizer.
- Mow away from the pavement so clippings stay out of the street.
- Sweep or blow clippings back onto the lawn.
- Make compost by mixing grass with leaves and soil.
For more information about the importance of disposing of yard waste properly, please watch a fun video about Fall Coming to Roswell! Also please see this informational article to learn more: The Effects of Leaves on Storm Drains.