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Do you have livestock on your property or use the backyard to grow fruit trees and other produce? Did you know that you could be polluting in Hawaii’s waters?
Large agricultural areas provide lots of space to raise livestock. But many large areas also include streams. Livestock or wild animals that walk in streams can contaminate the water with bacteria, making it unsafe for human contact. In addition, when it rains, large agricultural lots often times drain out to roadways, where water laden with dirt, fertilizers, and other chemicals can enter storm drains and flow directly to the ocean.
Here are some agricultural tips to prevent storm water pollution:
- If you own livestock, keep them away from stream banks and provide a source of water away from natural waterways.
- Store and apply manure and other fertilizers away from streams. When mowing or harvesting, properly dispose of vegetative material. Fertilizers and vegetative material can cause algae blooms, which use up all the oxygen in the water. This harms fish, coral and stream life because they cannot survive in water with low oxygen levels.
- Plant vegetation along stream banks, preferably native species, creating a thick buffer to help prevent livestock and wild animals from easily getting into the stream. Also, when it rains, native plants work well to trap any excess fertilizers, chemicals or dirt in the rainwater as it flows across the fields, ensuring that less of these harmful substances are flushed into our ocean.
- Rotate animal grazing to prevent soil erosion in fields. Erosion results in the loss of nutrient-rich soil that is needed for crops to grow. When it rains, the water carries any loose soil and dirt into the streams where it can cause flooding.
- Apply fertilizers and pesticides according to label instructions to save money and minimize pollution from excess chemicals washing out into streams and the ocean.
DOWNLOADS:
An Agricultural / Landscaping Guide to Understanding Storm Water
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