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Insects can become a major problem after heavy rains or flooding has occurred.  Standing water and debris are perfect breeding grounds for insects, especially mosquitoes and houseflies.  Cleanup should be done immediately after heavy rains or flooding to eliminate possible breeding areas and control insect populations around your home. Viewer Tip: To prevent insects from [...]

One of the biggest sources of pollution in Chesapeake Bay is “non-point source” pollution and erosion. That’s runoff from homes, lawns, gardens, streets and other paved surfaces when it rains. Urban and suburban runoff is on the rise, but many homeowners don’t see the connection between their yards and gardens and Bay pollution. Fertilizers may [...]

Heavy rains can cause flash flooding quickly and without warning.  Flash flooding may occur below burn scars from recent wildfires – just a short burst of moderate rainfall can lead to floods and debris flows in these areas.  Water running over burned areas can pick up ash, dirt, large rocks and loose vegetation.  Rushing water [...]

Often, homeowners apply fertilizers to help out lawns that don’t naturally receive enough nutrients. Fertilizer helps to optimize grass growth, but you can have too much of a good thing. Over-fertilizing or improperly applying fertilizers can lead to excess nutrients in the soil, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which can degrade water quality. These nutrients [...]

Summer fun can sometimes be hindered by pesky insects such as mosquitoes. Often our defense for this bothersome biter is to apply lotions and sprays or ignite repellant-infused candles. This is an effective way to deter the current mosquito population, but taking the time to prevent breeding and repopulation can significantly increase your summertime enjoyment. [...]

As we move into the warmest months of the year, it is important to pay attention to the amount of moisture available to plants in your garden. Heavy rains in the spring can be followed by the driest of summers. Plant selection becomes even more crucial in areas prone to drought. Check the drought trends [...]

Heavy rains are no friend to our local ponds and rivers. Rain water rushes down gutter spouts into streets and storm drains, carrying oil, fertilizer and other pollutants with it. Viewer Tip: Make precipitation your passion by adding a rain barrel in your yard! Rain barrels collect water for free, saving you big on your [...]

May 22-28, 2011 is Hurricane Preparedness Week.  Hurricanes come with many hazards – storm surge, high winds, heavy rains, inland flooding and even tornadoes. The official Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30.  As peak season approaches, it is important to understand and prepare for hurricane hazards, even if you [...]

When it rains, what goes down the storm drain? As rain water flows over yards, driveways and city streets, it picks up pet waste, fertilizers and pesticides, oil from cars, trash and other pollutants. It’s tempting to think that storm water visits the local waste water treatment plant, but in most communities water that goes [...]

Find out in this fun, animated short from the National Environmental Education Foundation, the Alice Ferguson Foundation and the District Department of the Environment.  You may download and use this video on-air and online using the links below. Download the video in broadcast (317 MB) or web (7 MB) quality QuickTime file. Download a west [...]

Friday, April 29 is National Arbor Day.  Trees not only add beauty and value to our landscape, they also provide many environmental benefits.  In a year, a single healthy tree: Has the same cooling effect as ten room-sized air conditioners running continually. Absorbs 750 gallons of stormwater, preventing erosion and protecting water quality. Filters 60 [...]

Trash and chemicals that end up in the street drain directly into our waterways. For example, old motor oil that is poured down a storm drain on the side of the street will wind up in Tampa Bay. Fertilizer and pet waste that do not get absorbed by lawns also flow into the streets, down [...]

Spring is the best time of year for planting trees, shrubs or other garden plants. Native trees and shrubs are an important part of a healthy Pacific Northwest. In the Pacific Northwest we still have lots of evergreen forests. But in our cities and suburbs, birds, animals and fish can benefit from having more native [...]

San Juan Bay provides a number of resources to Puerto Ricans, including commercial ports, beaches, recreation areas and historic areas. The Bay, which is partially enclosed by surrounding marshes, mangroves and land, has a limited ability to flush water out, making it particularly susceptible to accumulation of pollutants. Viewer Tip: With so many water resources [...]

Rain keeps our forests in the Pacific Northwest green. Raindrops also wash off our roofs, across lawns and down onto streets and parking lots, carrying chemicals from our yards and automobiles to local waterways. These chemicals are absorbed by small organisms that are eaten by fish, birds and animals and can disrupt reproduction and ability to fight [...]

Puerto Rico is home to diverse wetland habitats, from interior rain forest wetlands to coastal mangrove swamps.  Coastal wetlands provide critical habitat – food, water and shelter – for many species of fish, birds and other animals. Viewer Tip: Development that occurs on or nearby coastal wetlands can lead to loss of habitat, changes in [...]

Earth Gauge Video is available for this tip. A recent study looked at the impacts of driveways, sidewalks, streets and other hard surfaces on life in streams near urban areas across the country. When just 10 percent of a watershed is covered by pavement, aquatic life declines in streams by as much as 33 percent. [...]

A 2009 survey of Texas residents found that four in 10 Texans admitted to littering in the past month. More than half of those people littered while driving or riding in a car; others littered when a trashcan could not be located or when walking or playing outside. Litter is more than an eyesore – [...]

Unlike pollution from industrial sources and sewage treatment plants, non-point source (NPS) water pollution comes from many diffuse sources. Polluted runoff is caused by rainwater or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the runoff moves, it carries and deposits pollutants – such as fertilizers, pesticides and yard wastes like grass clippings and leaves [...]

Leaves in the streets this fall equal green lakes next summer. According to the Madison Area Municipal Storm Water Partnership, when it rains, any yard debris in the street gets washed directly into the nearest lake or stream via storm drains. Even if the leaves never move, rainwater running over and through them makes a [...]