Common practice is to remove river plants to prevent the slowing of the water flow and to prevent flooding during high rainfall events, but according to one research scientist the vegetation can act as a natural buffer. She believes that the plant removal not only threatens the a naturally balanced water level but threatens a
In 2013, Lake Michigan lake levels bottomed out after a 15-year span of lows that was the longest in recorded history. Now, the high-water is sending the roughly 4.2 million people who live within two miles of the coast scrambling. 2019 which was the wettest on record in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and precipitation was
Lanterns, like balloons, float and then eventually come down. After Valentine’s Day, a man collected over 30 love themed balloons in only a few hours off the coast of Laguna Beach. I believe there is already a lot of awareness to the problem with balloon releases and am shocked that they still allowed anywhere. They
We have all done it: a greasy pizza box, a disposable coffee cup, the odd plastic bag. Sometimes, we want things to be recyclable, so we put them in the recycling bin. Waste managers often call this wishful or aspirational recycling. But, unfortunately, putting these objects in with the rest of the recycling can do
The Azolla filiculoides fern— with leaves the size of gnats, is considered a wonder-plant that played a pivotal role in cooling our planet 50 million years ago. Among its many properties, the Azolla can capture CO2 and nitrogen from the air and has genes that provide insect resistance. Some 50 million years ago, however, the
The relationship between water quality and soil erosion cannot be overemphasized. Soil erosion and residue management, especially surface water runoff, influence water quality. A silt fence, sometimes called a filter fence, is a temporary sediment control barrier used on construction sites to protect water quality in nearby waterways from sediment in stormwater runoff. The problem
The beautiful fall colors will soon give way to barren trees and piles of fallen leaves around our yards and neighborhoods. The leaves decompose and restock the soil with nutrients and organic matter. However, those decomposing leaves may eventually make their way into lakes and rivers. They get washed down streets and into storm drains
Probably the single most helpful thing we can all do to help keep surface waters clean is the addition of a native vegetative buffer along the lakeshore. Buffers help filter out and trap pollutants like fertilizers, herbicides and pet waste before they reach the water. In addition, the deep roots from native buffer plants help