HARBOR WATCH/RIVER WATCH

In The News

Doing nothing may be best for environment

The Sunday Hour - September 3, 2006

By JAMES NASH, Hour Staff Writer

Editor’s note: The following concludes a series on the Norwalk River and surrounding watershed.

REGION — “Cheap and easy” isn’t a phrase that pops up quickly in discussions about maintaining or restoring environments. But experts say homeowners living near rivers; streams and watersheds can be proactive by doing nothing. 

Heavy rains and melting snow carry fertilizers from lawns and gardens and bring excess nutrients to streams and rivers. Nutrient overloads cause algae blooms and reduced levels of dissolved oxygen that threaten fish and the habitats of other river organisms.

Simple “no-mow” zones along river and stream banks spread vegetation and create natural buffers that protect waters and the environment by slowing or preventing runoff and erosion from impacting rivers and tributaries.

And clean water advocates say “no-mow” zones allow homeowners to become stewards of watercourses and surrounding environments while they cut back on cutting grass.

But natural re-vegetation takes time before birds, squirrels and wandering roots bring seeds, nuts and new plant life to riverside environments.

Experts say active re-vegetation requires planning. Consideration should be taken so the correct vegetation is chosen for the best riverbank or stream side locations. Native plants should be selected and invasive plants removed.

Joe DeRisi, is an environmental analyst for the Southwestern Conservation District, a non-profit conservation agency serving southwestern Connecticut.

Commenting on how homeowners can help keep rivers clean, DeRisi said ground and riverbank incline, erosion potential and bank stability should be considered and assessed before planting native vegetation that supports wildlife.

“Those are all the factors that you would consider. Not only the type of plant, but what you’re trying to stabilize,” DeRisi said.

Riverside trees and high growth vegetation provide shade that helps cool water and prevent algae blooms. “When you’re creating a natural buffer, it is good to try to mix ground cover and canopy,” DeRisi said.

DeRisi said River Birch, Eastern Cedar and White Pine are all good choices for buffers. Winterberry, Mountain Laurel and moisture loving shrubs also serve riverbanks well.

Buffers block sight lines for Canada geese that must see water or will move elsewhere.  Geese droppings contribute to high E.coli levels in water bodies.

Lillian Willis is president of the Norwalk River Watershed Association. The NRWA seeks to foster research, education, cooperation, and action on the part of individuals, community groups, businesses, and governmental agencies in the seven Norwalk River watershed towns — Norwalk, Ridgefield, Redding, Weston, Wilton, New Canaan and Lewisboro in New York State.

”I think the more action people take, the less government has to take,” Willis said while commenting on clean water strategies. “And it’s to each individual’s advantage.”

The NRWA has published a pamphlet for homeowners on property and landscape management.  The pamphlet was mailed out with tax bills in most Norwalk River watershed towns, Willis said.

An NRWA “Action Checklist” advises on wells, septic systems, fuel tanks, hazardous household and garden chemicals, composting, stormwater runoff, landscaping and community watershed protection.

Suggestions for protecting water include keeping oil, gasoline and anti-freeze from being poured on the ground or down drains.

Herbicides and pesticides should be kept from well areas.  Fuel tanks should be located above ground. Septic tanks should be cleaned every two to three years. Hazardous household and garden chemicals should be disposed of properly during municipal collection events. Prescription and over-the-counter medicines should not be flushed down toilets.

The NRWA asks people to support land preservation purchases; volunteer for river, beach and open space cleanups; help maintain and monitor rivers and river environments; and support funding for hazardous collection events.

The Connecticut River Joint Commission [CRJC], formed by the legislatures of Vermont and New Hampshire, produced a homeowners guide to nonpoint source pollution for residents of the Connecticut River valley.  The Connecticut River is New England’s largest river running from northern New Hampshire to Old Saybrook, Connecticut where it empties into the Long Island Sound.

The [CRJC] suggests homeowners watch where rainwater goes during heavy downfalls and during spring snowmelt so steps can be taken to slow runoff and divert waters away from storm drains.

Downspouts can be pointed to flat, vegetated areas. Porous materials such as gravel, wood chips, bricks and stones set in sand can be installed in lieu of paved surfaces.  Slopes can be protected with mulch, turf, by building rock gardens or planting horizontally on slopes rather than vertically.

Dick Harris monitors the Norwalk River for Harbor Watch/River Watch, a program based at Earthplace, the Nature Discovery Center in Westport.

Harris said people connected to sewer lines often think their wastewater is handled by treatment plants and therefore develop casual attitudes regarding what goes down household drains and how wastewater is treated.

But experts say treatment plants can be technologically outdated, break down or be permitted to release harmful levels of chemicals in effluent.