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Imagine Minnesota’s 10.000 lakes full of clean, clear, fresh water for our children and grandchildren to enjoy. Fish are plentiful, birds line the shores, and there is water for recreation, industry and growing food. The Freshwater Society wants to help you make that vision a reality. The idea behind Community Cleanups for Water Quality is deceptively simple and cost-effective: locally-led groups of volunteers, rake, sweep, bag and remove loose dirt and leaves blocking sewer grates on city streets. The material is then composted to prevent pollutants such as phosphorusfrom entering lakes, rivers and streams.
Depending on the mix of materials, for every five bags (100 pounds) of leaves and other organic debris you collect, you prevent up to a pound of phosphorus from entering a local water body. Each pound of phosphorus can cause up to 1,000 pounds of algae. Your group or organization will be able to prevent thousands of pounds of algae growth in the lakes, rivers and streams near your home.
The Freshwater Society has assembled a toolkit to help you implement a Community Clean-Up for Water Quality in your area. For more information on Community Cleanups for Water Quality, or to download the Toolkit, visit our website: |
