How do I use my data?

Now that you have entered your data into the calculator and generated your report, you need to apply the information.  Your report contains personalized information for your home.  It tells you how much runoff leaves your property and how much nitrogen and phosphorus is in that runoff.  The next step is using the suggestions given in the report to reduce your runoff and pollution values.

There are many quick and easy ways to reduce your numbers.  The simplest and most effective way to reduce the amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in your runoff is to fertilize properly.  Have your soil tested to make sure that you are applying the proper type and amount of fertilizer and only apply fertilizer in the fall.  Avoid using pesticides and other harmful chemicals on your yard.  There are a lot of eco-friendly alternatives available at home improvement stores.  Not only are they better for the environment, but many of them are safer for kids and pets.   Other simple suggestions include planting and mulching bare spots, picking up after your pets, planting native flowers and trees, and washing your car on the grass rather than the driveway.

If you are feeling a little more ambitious, you can tackle some of these suggestions:

• Installing one 50 gallon rain barrel will reduce your runoff by 1700 gallons a year.  This will also help reduce your nitrogen and phosphorus levels.

• Plant a rain garden or BayScape.  A 50 square foot rain garden will reduce your stormwater runoff by 693 gallons annually.  The plants in the rain garden will take up excess nutrients and the mulch will trap sediment.

If you have downspouts that run to impervious areas, you can “disconnect” them and re-direct them to pervious areas such as grass or a flower bed.  Disconnecting one downspout in this fashion will decrease the runoff from that downspout by 50%!