Sassafras River Association

Rain Barrel Workshop June 1st
Kent Ag Museum

Report Pollution

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What can YOU do?

There are many things you can do to help! There are Best Management Practices (BMPs) that you can implement at home, including Soil Testing and installing a Rain Barrel. Both of these BMPs are designed to help mitigate excess fertilizer and storm water runoff into the River and Bay.

In addition to these BMPs, we created a brochure containing hundreds of additional ideas in our brochure, "From My Backyard to Our Bay."

We have developed separate brochures for Kent County and Cecil County. Take a look . . . . You’ll not only find hundreds of ideas on ways to clean up the River, but the web addresses and phone numbers of people who can help.

Change your habits—and clean up your River—today!!

At the Boat | At Home | At the Farm | At my Business |
As a Volunteer | Become a member

At the Boat

  • Fuel cautiously
    • Fill only 90% to avoid spillage and don’t “top off” tanks!
    • Use oil absorbent material to catch drips from the fuel intake and vent overflow.  
    • Do not use soap to disperse a spill, it only sinks fuel. 
    • Report spills to the U.S. Coast Guard at 800-424-8802.
  • Handle oil with care
    • Properly dispose of oil absorbent materials.
    • Replace oil absorbent materials at least once per season.
    • Replace damaged fuel lines with alcohol resistant hoses.
  • Clean gently
    • Use detergents sparingly and use phosphate-free, biodegradable and non-toxic cleaners if necessary.
    • Collect paint chips, dust and residue and dispose as trash if non toxic. 
    • Bring used solvents and waste gas to local hazardous waste collection.  Here's a link to Maryland's Hazardous Waste Information page.
  • Dispose of sewage properly

    Pump Out Station from: www.dec.ny.gov/environmentdec/69260.html

    • Never discharge raw sewage.
    • Use restrooms on shore when docked.
    • Pump out and rinse holding tanks regularly.
    • Avoid holding tank products that contain quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC) and formaldehyde.
       
  • Boat Responsibly
    • Protect sensitive habitat by avoiding submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and do not disturb wildlife.
    • Watch your wake – it can cause shoreline erosion.
    • Proceed slowly in shallow areas.

    Osprey and young 

At Home

  • Looking to landscape your home? The University of Maryland Bay-wise program can provide you with guidance for landscaping your lawn or garden in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly manner.
  • Best Management Practices (BMPs) to manage your stormwater

    • Install a rain barrel to your gutters to both conserve water and mitigate the impact of stormwater runoff.

    Click here to watch our video from a recent Rain Barrel workshop and learn how to build a barrel!

    • While landscaping, plant native grasses or other plants that don’t require watering or fertilizing. Plant bushes or trees along shorelines and stream banks to help stabilize banks and prevent erosion.
    • Take a soil test before applying fertilizer at all, to ensure that excess nitrogen and phosphorus are not running off your property.It’s easy to test your soil. Click here to view a video from the University of Delaware’s Soil Testing Program
    • Install a denitrifying septic system
      Denitrifying Septic System
  • Minimize use of household chemicals
    • Instead of all purpose cleaners, use baking soda or borax and hot water to clean everything from toilet bowls to pots and pans to laundry. 
    • Purchase “green” cleaners that are non-toxic, biodegradable and phosphate-free.
      Green Cleaning
       
  • Conserve Water
    • Takes shorter showers and turn off the water while you brush your teeth, wash hands or do dishes.

At the Farm

  • Stormwater management
    • Plant buffers along stream banks and shorelines to help stabilize banks and prevent erosion.
      Buffers
       
    • Create a Sediment pond
    • Use a low flow irrigation system
    • Install wetland
      Wetlands
       
  • Nutrient treatment
    • Wetlands
    • Fertilizer application techniques

  • Plant cover crops on any acreage not in a winter commodity crop.  Cover crops effectively hold excess nitrogen in plant material through the winter and prevent leaching during the wet winters and early springs.  Cover crops are also effective at holding soil in place during heavy precipitation and wind events, which reduces sediment and phosphorus (which is tied to the sediment) from entering adjacent streams and waterways.

  • Develop and implement a conservation plan for your farm through the local county Soil Conservation District.  A conservation plan will set goals and steps to maintain your farm’s productivity while minimizing pollutant loads from the operation and increasing critical habitat and your property’s value to wildlife. 

  • Remove marginal ground from production and restore wetlands, native grasses and trees.  Many farms contain low lying, marginal soils which rarely produce yields that warrant the expense and time involved in planting and harvesting the crop.  There are several programs available through the Soil Conservation Districts and NRCS that pay farmers to discontinue working these unproductive areas and create pockets of valuable habitat. 

  • Consider reducing pesticide usage through IPM management and/or going organic!  Despite the fact that they are approved for use through USDA and the EPA, many pesticides have detrimental impacts on native vegetation, insects and aquatic life.  Integrated Pest Management programs allow farmer to utilize non-chemical measures to prevent and treat insect problems, but also encourage farmers to monitor for thresholds that warrant pesticide application to prevent major economic damage. 

    Demand for organic produce and products has increased dramatically over the past several years, and programs exist to help farmers transition smoothly through the three year process to become certified. 

  • Stay informed on the latest and greatest developments in the world of nutrient management and precision agriculture.  Next generation tools such as Greenseeker technology, poultry manure injectors, variable rate application linked to yield or infrared data, PSNT,  and stalk nitrate sampling not only save the farmer money on fertilizer application, but also provide data and information that facilitate better informed management decisions.  More precise and better timed fertilizer application translates easily into reduced N and P leaching and runoff. 

At my Business

  • Turn off equipment such as computers and printers when not in use.  This can reduce the energy use by 25 to 50 percent.


    • Turn off equipment when not in use to save electricity. From Life 123
     

  • Save Paper!
    • Set your printers to print double-sided.
    • Buy copier paper with the maximum available recycled content.
    • Collect used paper separately for recycling, and coordinate with your waste hauler to set up a recycling system.
      Recycle
       
    • Stock bathrooms with postconsumer recycled tissue products.
    • Encourage communications by email, and only print when necessary.
  • Conserve Water!
    • Landscape for maximum water efficiency and install stormwater collection on site (rain barrels attached to gutters.)
    • Install faucet aerators and low-flow toilets or install displacement toilet dams in toilet reservoirs.  Placing one or two plastic containers filled with stones in the toilet’s reservoir will displace about 4 liters of water per flush. 
    • Don't leave taps dripping; always close them tightly after use.
  • Use “greener” cleaning products that are non toxic and biodegradable. 
    • Living in the Sassafras Watershed, always use items that are Phosphorus Free.

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