TAKE THE PLEDGE:
PROTECT THE BANTAM WATERSHED
Bantam Lake is listed on CT DEEP’s List of Impaired Waters for Connecticut for Recreational Use. Human-related disturbances such as erosion, overapplied fertilizers, polluted stormwater runoff, and improperly disposed pet waste are significant causes of this impairment.
However, by adopting lake-safe practices and spreading the word, YOU can make a big difference in reducing cyanobacteria blooms right from your backyard.
Together we can protect our lakes and rivers for generations to come.
Who should take the pledge?
You should take the pledge if you:
-
Live within the Bantam Lake Watershed (including Morris, Litchfield, Goshen and Torrington)
-
Own a business within the Bantam Lake Watershed (especially farms, golf courses, landscapers, contractors & home service providers)
-
Are a recreational visitor to the lake & rivers, (e.g. for fishing, kayaking, beachgoing, swimming, boating, & more).
You can take the pledge by committing to achieve as many of the items below as applicable for your home or business. Expand each item to learn more about how and why to accomplish these tasks.
TAKE THE BANTAM LAKE PROTECTION PLEDGE
- 01
Most fertilizers contain phosphorus and nitrogen which run off into streams, ponds & lakes, and promote the growth of cyanobacteria (previously called blue-green algae). Fertilizer is one the BIGGEST contributors to harmful algae blooms and should be minimized whenever possible.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Take inventory of what fertilizer is used on your property.
Understanding what is currently done is a crucial first step.
Do you have a landscaping company? What are they using on your property? It’s vital to inform your landscaping service as they might not know how fertilizer affects the local water bodies.
Determine what you need fertilizer by getting a soil test to learn exactly what deficiencies your soil has.
UConn soil lab has a cheap test that you can determine soil recommendations found here.
Talk with professionals about appropriate applications.
Explore alternatives to fertilizing. This includes:
Plant your lawn with a high percentage of fescue grass, which requires much less fertilizer.
Explore clover or other alternatives (https://www.frwa.org/resources has good resources educational materials)
Limit lawn areas altogether and opt for native plants which require less water and fertilization.
Leave grass clippings on the lawn as they return nutrients.
Use natural compost to fortify your plants instead of synthetic fertilizers.
- 02
A wide shoreline “buffer” of native shrubs, bushes, and trees will absorb phosphorus and nitrogen and act as a buffer zone. This mimics natural riparian buffers which filter out these excess nutrients and limit erosion. Runoff from non-shoreline yards or homes can harm a lake from miles away in the upper watershed.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
If you have grass along the shoreline of a waterbody, leave a small strip unmowed. This can be a few feet or longer. And you can mow the strip once a year, etc. Even a small strip like this can make a big difference in filtering runoff and preventing pollution.
Enhance current vegetation. Add native plants to existing gardens or vegetated areas. Purchase water-loving plants in a buffer garden (mimics a riparian buffer).
Add new vegetated areas.
Plant a buffer garden along the shorelines of rivers, streams and lakes. To learn more, visit here.
Or a rain garden if you don’t live along a shoreline. For more resources on rain gardens, check out the UConn NEMO Program Here. Or contact info@nwcd.org if you would like some assistance.
Convert unused paved areas or hard landscape to lawn or garden areas, or replace asphalt with permeable pavers.
- 03
Aquatic invasive plants threaten lakes in many ways, including: damaging infrastructure (such as pipes); reducing recreation or navigation; decreasing property values; disrupting lake ecosystems; negatively affecting fish populations; degrading water quality and more. Practice the clean, drain, dry technique when taking your boat out of a waterbody and before putting it in at another launch.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Learn about invasive aquatic species in Connecticut, how to spot them and what to do if you see them. Some invasive aquatic species (milfoil, fanwort, etc.) should not be disturbed as they can spread rapidly via fragmentation.
Don’t spread invasive plants
Practice the clean, drain, dry technique when taking your boat out of a waterbody and before putting it in at another launch.
Check your bathing suits before and after entering a lake. Do not wear the same bathing suit in multiple waterbodies without washing in-between.
Help monitor and promote native vegetation
Monitor in-lake. Volunteer with the BLPA as an in-lake monitor.
Learn about native aquatic plants! Native aquatic vegetation is extremely important to lake health, increases biodiversity and helps protect against aquatic invasive plant infestations.
- 04
Garbage contains pollutants that negatively impact water quality, endanger local wildlife, and negatively affect recreation and tourism.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Do not leave any garbage at boat launches, town beaches, your yard or other natural spaces.
Don’t dump or drain any materials into the lake or any waterbody.
Carry in and carry out all materials - including propane canisters. Campfire ashes, burned leaves, raked dead leaves and other commonly dumped materials contribute to excess nutrient pollution.
Do not dump anything into Catch Basins, the gray structures along the road that collect water. They drain directly to your lake or river.
Clean up other spaces that you did not pollute
Pick up trash or garbage that others have left.
Participate in a street or river clean up. Or organize one of your own.
If there are leaves or debris on top of a nearby catch basin, clean them out to allow for proper drainage. These structures can help drain excess water in floods. Check with your town officials to learn more.
- 05
Drought causes harm to local wildlife and can shift the critical nutrient balance in the lake, leading to algae blooms. Small changes in water usage can make a big difference to the lake community and watershed.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Carefully water your plants and garden.
Water in the early morning to avoid losing water to evaporation during mid-day.
Water slowly and deeply, at the soil level, to avoid surface runoff. Overhead watering or sprinklers lose a large amount of water to evaporation and get most of the water on leaves rather than the soil, where plants need it.
Inspect hoses for leaks and direct overhead sprinklers toward vegetation and away from the street or driveway.
Avoid over-watering. Excess water runs off the lawn into the storm drain system.
Plant more native plants in your yard that have deeper roots that allow them to survive droughts better.
Reuse water collected in rain barrels.
- 06
Septic systems that are malfunctioning, weren’t properly installed to begin with, or are being used incorrectly risk leaking harmful bacteria into our drinking water and causing myriad health problems.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Take inventory of your septic system.
Do you have a septic system or sewer system? Do you know where it is on your property?
When was the last time your septic system was pumped? Having your septic system pumped and inspected regularly (every 1-3 years). This keeps the system from overflowing and malfunctioning.
Employ these small practices to protect your septic system.
Reduce the amount of water used in your home by adding water dams to your toilet tank and installing faucet aerators and low-flow shower heads. This helps your septic system operate more efficiently, preventing sewage flow into the lake.
Check labels! Don’t use antibacterial soap (it kills the good bacteria that helps break down waste), phosphate detergents (excess phosphorus leads to algae blooms), or toxic cleaning products (chemicals leach into the groundwater and contribute to health problems)
Do not use a garbage disposal in your kitchen. Ground-up food contributes to septic system problems and may add nutrients to the lake.
Do not harm your septic field by adding fill to it, driving a car over it, or planting deep-rooted trees nearby.
Educate others about septic systems and their impacts on water quality.
- 07
When rain, snowmelt and hose water runoff flows across impervious surfaces like asphalt and cement, it picks up bacteria and pollutants and carries it back to the watershed. Whenever you're using water outside or designing your landscape, you can make it easier for water to be absorbed into the ground.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Wash your car at the car wash or on the lawn instead of on the asphalt, cement, or other impervious surface. This allows dirt and detergents to filter through the ground instead of directly entering streams. Be sure to use lake-friendly cleaning products!
Protect your green spaces.
Use paths to directly access the lake and avoid trampling on soil.
Ensure proper drainage in your yard and fortify your vegetated areas (including lawns and gardens) with more native trees, shrubs, and ground story plants.
Create new green spaces.
Create new lawn spaces from paved areas, and gardens wherever possible to absorb water or runoff.
By opting for pervious materials (like paving stones, bricks, sand or gravel) instead of asphalt or cement for walkways, driveways & patios. Impervious paved surfaces shed water straight into storm drains without any filtration and debris, bacteria, chemicals and minerals are carried along with it.
- 08
Dog and cat waste contain high levels of bacteria harmful to people and the lake, so never let it stay on the ground where it could find its way into our water.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Dispose of pet waste properly. Never let it stay on the ground where it could find its way into our water. Place pet waste in garbage cans or even better, a pet-waste processor.
Dispose of waste properly in public spaces.
Don’t leave pet waste or plastic bags around. Don’t dump them into the lake, watercourse or catch basin.
Do not compost dog poop.
Prevent water pollution by promoting clean up practices.
Promote educational signage.
Educate neighbors or friends.
Organize an educational event.
- 09
Geese could pass on swimmer’s itch and leave significant amounts of “natural fertilizer” which contributes to cyanobacteria or algae blooms. Keep them from landing on your property by adding visual deterrents including Myler tape and decoy predators, or by planting shoreline riparian buffers.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Don’t feed ducks or geese on the lake. This encourages them to stay in the area and reduces their natural fear of humans. Plenty of natural food is available in the lake.
Use geese deterrents to keep them off of shoreline property. There are many techniques to deter geese populations. These include visual deterrents including Myler tape, balloons, flags, fake coyotes, and more.
Plant a geese buffer. Canada Geese like wide-open spaces and direct access from waterfront to grass. Creating a vegetated buffer along the shoreline blocks their access and decreases their visibility. To see an example of a local geese buffer, visit here.
- 10
Follow local and lake-wide health advisories, and other opportunities in the watershed.
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
Understand your watershed more.
Check out local organizations to attend an educational event.
Pay attention and use your voice.
Check out the family resources section of the pledge to see book recommendations.
Have a question? Contact a local conservation organization to learn more.
Get involved!
Volunteer with a local conservation organization.
Organize an educational program around watershed or lake health in partnership with conservation organizations. Email bantamlakeprotective@gmail.com if you are interested!