| Stormwater Management Division
WHAT CAN I DO?
Scoop your Pet's Poop:
Believe it or not, there are pooper-scooper laws across the United States including the District of Columbia. The law states that no person owning, keeping or having custody of a dog in the District, except a seeing eye dog, shall allow or permit dog waste to remain in any public place. DDOE wants the public to understand why it is so important to scoop your pet's poop:
-
Properly disposing of pet waste helps to keep park grounds and sidewalks clean.
-
Pet waste transmits disease.
-
Pet waste is bad for the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers and the city's smaller neighborhood streams. Rain carries waste into storm drains and nearby streams, contaminating the water with harmful bacteria which make the water unhealthy to touch.
-
Pet waste adds unwanted nutrients to local waterways causing algae blooms and poor water quality.
Tree Planting:
Trees have many benefits including aesthetic appeal, temperature control, increased property value, habitat for wildlife, and cleaner air. Trees also help reduce non-point source pollution to waterways. Tree foliage collects rainwater, while the roots filter and soak it up helping to restore ground water. By increasing the urban tree canopy, or amount of foliage surface area, District residents can help to prevent the pollution that is caused when precipitation, along with whatever is in its path, washes into storm drains. Contact: Peter Hill: peterhill@dc.gov or call: 202-535-2691
Nature Landscaping: What is BayScaping?
BayScaping is landscaping that is planted and maintained to benefit people, the local environment, and the Chesapeake Bay. BayScaping uses native plants to:
Installing BayScapes on properties in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed helps improve local streams and waterways, the Bay's waters and the habitat the area provides. It is also valuable for the gardener or landowner because it:
-
Offers greater visual interest than lawn.
-
Reduces the time and expense of mowing, watering, fertilizing and treating lawn and garden areas.
-
Can address areas with problems such as erosion, poor soils, steep slopes or poor drainage.
Related Links:
(this site has downloadable manuals on Bayscaping)
Sponsoring the DC Soil and Water Conservation District - CAC
A District of Columbia government agency established by DC Law Section 1- 2801 to 1- 2814. We serve the residents and visitors of DC (human - non - human). The mission of the District of Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District (DC SWCD) is to identify and coordinate available technical, financial, and educational resources for the purposes of sponsoring projects and providing guidance for activities that conserve the soil, water and related natural resources of the District of Columbia. The DC SWCD accomplishes this in partnership with the Citizens Advisory Committee, the United States Department of Agriculture- Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), and the District Department of the Environment (DDOE).
The District of Columbia Soil and Water Conservation District envisions an economic revitalization of neighborhoods and parks, energized by the creation and recreation of green spaces and water resources, all made possible by the collaborative efforts of city agencies, the Council of the District of Columbia and citizens.
Contact: Robert Hyman, chairman DCSWCD-CAC, roberthyman@erols.com or call (202) 342-5485
Promoting integrated pest and nutrient management:
Green Gardening Campaign The Green Gardening Campaign will increase awareness and promote the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. The Green Gardening Campaign will inform District community gardeners and garden clubs about the benefits of using IPM through a series of presentations, surveys, and distribution of Green Gardening Tool Kits.
Contact: Lorin O'Toole, lorin.otoole@dc.gov or call (202) 727-5160
Clean Marina:
The Clean Marinas program is a partnership among the District Department of the Environment/Watershed Protection Division, the National Park Service/National Capital Region (NPS), and marinas in the District. It is a voluntary program through which marina operations become more environmentally responsible and marina managers educate the boating public on environmentally responsible boating practices. The program encourages marina, boatyard, and boat club operators, as well as the boating public to take extra steps to reduce pollution and protect and improve environmental quality. Because marinas abut and are actually in the District's waters, almost everything that takes place there has the potential to affect water quality. Actions by individual boaters, through maintenance, operation, and storage of recreational vessels, can affect air and water quality. Marinas have the potential to reduce pollution to the District's environment by adopting practices that reduce the amount of waste produced as well as the way waste is handled.
Contact information: Joanne Goodwin at joanne.goodwin@dc.gov
|
