Top 10 Ways to Help the Lakes at Home

Plant native & diverse vegetation

Deep-rooted native plants and trees help absorb water and hold topsoil in place during rain events. As an added bonus, they will add beauty to your property and provide habitat for songbirds and butterflies.

• Learn about native plants for beginners – from the Wisconsin DNR
• Tips for pollinator-safe gardening – from Xerces Society

Create a rain garden

Not only will rain gardens capture stormwater runoff and beautify your property, they also provide biodiversity that helps butterflies and bees survive.

• Learn about how to build a rain garden from the Wisconsin DNR
• Rain garden video tutorial
• Learn how to install a rain garden – Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association

Redirect downspouts

This simple action allows you to redirect rainwater to your lawn or garden, while also reducing the amount of stormwater that goes to streets and directly into the lakes via storm sewers.

• Learn to redirect your downspout

Pick up pet waste & litter

This simple act helps reduce the potential of E. coli pollution from washing into our lakes and closing our beaches after rain events. If you don’t have a pet, simply pick up trash you may see on your walk to reduce pollution and make our community more beautiful for everyone!

• Learn about benefits of picking up pet waste
• More reasons to pick up pet waste

Reduce salt use

Winter salt runoff into our lakes can be toxic to aquatic plants and animals. Reducing salt use does not need to compromise public safety. By shoveling snow, using sand, and limiting salt use, you can be lake friendly and safe at the same time.

Start home composting

Turn your food trash and yard waste into valuable, nutrient-rich compost that reduces fertilizer use and provides you with a cost-saving solution for use in your garden, planters, or rain garden.

• Create your own compost
• Create compost in 14 days
• Getting started with composting

Install a rain barrel

By capturing rainwater from your roof, rain barrels reduce the amount of stormwater runoff that reaches the lakes. Rain barrels also provide you with stored water that can be used on gardens and lawns.

• Learn to build a rain barrel
• Learn why rain collection is important from the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association

Plant home food gardens

Planting a garden will provide food for you and your community. It also reduces transportation costs, provides a place for mulch and compost use, and helps infiltrate stormwater.

• Vegetable garden layout ideas
• Video tips for planting a garden

Inspire a friend or neighbor

Leading by example creates a large ripple effect! Can you inspire friends, family, and neighbors to adopt these actions at their own homes? Share what you’re doing or bring someone to a Clean Lakes Alliance event so they can learn more about helping our lakes.

Rake for leaf-free streets

Leaves contain phosphorus. When left in the street, stormwater passes through leaves like a teabag and brings the phosphorus with it. Raking leaves from the street edge (three feet from the curb) and onto lawns will help fertilize the grass and reduce cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) blooms in our lakes.

• Learn about leaf management

• Aldo Leopold Nature Center
• Allen Centennial Garden
• City of Middleton
• Friends of Lake Wingra
• Fund for Lake Michigan

• Madison Audubon Society
• Olbrich Botanical Gardens
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum
• Weed Man
• Wisconsin Nursery & Landscape Association (WNLA)