Are dead leaves actually bad for bodies of water, and how are storm drains involved? Find out here!
Fall leaves are beautiful; there is no other time of year when the leaves themselves become so colorful. Even though fall is a favorite season for many, it has its challenges. One you might not realize is the potential for fall leaves to pollute local waterways. Surely they can’t cause that much harm! Here’s how fall leaves harm water.
How Fall Leaves Harm Waterways
Leaves will naturally fall off trees and into local rivers, bays, inlets, etc., and these bodies of water have no problem with the natural cycle. However, problems can arise when too many dead leaves infiltrate them.
Too Much Phosphorus Leads to Oxygen Depletion
Fall leaves contain phosphorus, an element and mineral that plants use in the process of photosynthesis, cell division and development, respiration, and energy transfer. This nutrient is necessary for plants to live and function, but when they die and leach into water, they promote algae growth. Algae growth can turn into an algae bloom, which is incredibly unhealthy for bodies of water and aquatic life because it depletes the “O” in H2O.
Too Much Organic Matter Leads to Murky Waters
Leaves are also organic matter, which means they can decompose. In water, the breakdown of copious amounts of organic matter can lead to water made murky by many organic particles. Murky water makes it harder for aquatic plants to access sunlight and can make life harder for aquatic wildlife as well.
How Jet Blast Inc. Helps
Jet Blast Inc. helps prevent these problems through routine catch basin and storm drain cleaning in Maryland and the surrounding areas. Catch basins allow solids like branches, trash, and leaves to gather below the drainage point, leading to the main stormwater management pipeline. Occasionally, they and the storm drains need cleaning, which Jet Blast Inc. performs.
How You Can Help
Homeowners, landlords, and property managers can help reduce the risk of unhealthy waterways by removing or repurposing fall leaves diligently every year. You can do the following to prevent fall leaves harming water:
- Bag fall leaves for the garbage crew to dispose of in landfills
- Mulch thin layers of fall leaves with a lawn mower and leave them on the lawn
- Compost the fall leaves
- Leave some leaf piles around for wildlife to use as shelter in colder months
Contact Jet Blast Inc. Today!
Jet Blast® Industrial Services strives every day in an effort to provide our customers with the best service and equipment possible. Providing a safe and stable workplace has allowed us to keep a team of quality people, with most having a tenure of 15 – 25 years with Jet Blast®. With all that experience under one roof, we have been able to provide reliable 24-hour service since 1979. I believe this helps to set us apart from the competition.
Compare us! Let us make your job easier. If you’re located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Northern Virginia, or Washington, D.C., contact us by email at [email protected], call us at 410-636-0730, or fax us at 410-789-3907, and don’t forget to keep in touch with us on Facebook!