The Cataraqui Watershed
How To Protect the Watershed and Your own Health
- Conserve water by using a rain barrel, planting hardier native plant species, not watering your lawn or driveways, watering gardens less frequently, use low flow household products, and repair leaks and drips
- Get active and recharge your batteries – visit a local conservation area at any time of the year and have a picnic, go hiking have a swim, go snowshoeing, and just catch the views!
- Don’t use fertilizers or pesticides
- Dispose of hazardous products properly
- Allow trees and shrubs to grow along the edges of ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes
- Keep your septic system in good working order to avoid contaminating groundwater and nearby water bodies
- Plant trees and shrubs to control runoff and soil erosion, improve water quality, and help clean the air
- Decommission any older, unused rural wells that can provide a direct pathway to groundwater
- Don’t pour anything down storm drains because everything entering storm drains goes directly to local creeks, rivers, streams, ponds and lakes
- Homeowners, municipalities and companies can use green infrastructure practices such as permeated pavement, urban forests, natural areas, green roofs, green walls, parks, community gardens, constructed wetlands, rain gardens, bioswales, and stormwater ponds to prevent runoff, reduce emissions, cool cities, and keep water on the landscape.
to see more info about protecting Ontario’s watershed’s go to http://www.watershedcheckup.ca
