River Friendly
Take The River Friendly Pledge
By being aware of my actions, making thoughtful decisions, and remaining informed and engaged, I pledge to reduce my impact upon the river and do my part to aid in its protection and restoration.
Ways to Be River Friendly
Create a River Friendly Yard. Our lawns and yards and the maintenance they require can have a significant impact upon the health of our waterways and natural environment. Stormwater runoff from rain and irrigation can wash fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides from our yards into storm drains and, ultimately, into our river and its tributaries. For this reason, we all essentially live on waterfront property.
Excessive nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) from fertilizers can cause serious algal blooms that are harmful to the aquatic vegetation, wildlife and even human health. Herbicides and pesticides can also be harmful or fatal to native aquatic vegetation, fish, wildlife, and humans.
Fortunately, opportunities exist for all of us to reduce our impact on the river by changing our lawn maintenance practices and our landscaping choices.
Conserve water. Did you know that fixing leaks and replacing old water-guzzling plumbing fixtures with water-saving ones could save a family of four 30,000 gallons of water each year? Learn how to conserve water inside and outside of your home.
Conserve energy. The production of electricity results in one of the largest uses of water in the United States and generates a significant amount of air pollution that can be deposited onto our land and water bodies. Saving energy helps protect our river while saving you money!
Get to know your river. Learn about the rich history, diverse ecology, and fascinating culture of the river and the issues that are impacting its health. Get out and explore and enjoy your river. You can learn more by visiting Our River section of our website.
Report a polluter or a problem. Whether you are in your car or boat or on foot, pay close attention to what is going on around you. Is dirt running off a construction site into a creek? Did you spot a fish kill or a broken wastewater pipe? Is someone illegally-dumping trash or pollution into a storm drain or directly into a water body? If you don’t know who to call or are having trouble getting someone to take action, call the Riverkeeper at 904-256-7591. You can also report a suspected violation or incident by visiting the report section of our site.
Learn more about these and other river-friendly practices by visiting the various River Friendly pages found in the menu to the right.
Resources
Sustainable Residential Design: Improving Water Management from American Society of Landscape Architects
Sections include: Bioswales and Bioretention Ponds, Rain Gardens, Rain Water Harvesting, Water Recycling, and Drip Irrigation