Minnesota—land of 11,842 lakes and there’s not one we can keep our hands out of. We love living near lakes and streams, but it’s important to understand how all that attention affects the water quality for people, fish and wildlife.

Is your favorite lake clean enough for swimming? For fishing? For drinking? Thankfully, the 1972 Clean Water Act was enacted none too soon. A lot of effort went into cleaning up pollution “point sources”—pipes and ditches that carry wastewaters from factories and sewage treatment plants into streams and lakes. It was a good start.

But we have a long way to go. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is compiling a list of “impaired” lakes and streams— those that fail to meet water-quality standards. The MPCA has counted almost 2,000 impairments affecting 920 lakes and 203 streams. And they’ve only assessed 12 percent of Minnesota’s lakes and five percent of its streams so far.

It’s time to up the ante. The University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute is helping to spread the word about “non-point” sources of pollution—the crud that flows from our streets, parking lots and yards. As water lovers, we have a responsibility to do our share. Here are 10 things you can do to help keep Minnesota’s 11,842 lakes ready for summer fun.

1. Be aware that wherever you live, you live in a watershed. The water that runs off your property flows via the streets, through the catch basins to storm pipes, or through ditches, or even directly to a stream or lake. Learn where your water goes.

2. Pick up after your pet. Use a doggie bag when you walk your dog; clean your yard of animal waste and dispose of the waste in a trash can. This is especially important if the waste is close to a street or water body.

3. Minimize the use of fertilizers, herbicides and other pesticides. Investigate using natural pesticides and use the minimum fertilizer required. Native plants along streams and lake shorelines, and in shallow water, are essential habitat and reduce erosion.

4. Take your car to the car wash (they treat the wash water) or wash your car on the lawn where the water flows into the grass – don’t let wash water get to the street and storm drain. Keep your car in good condition so it does not drip oils or other fluids.

5. Don’t sweep or rake yard debris into the street; collect it and compost it or use the gravel to fill yard holes.

6. Take advantage of household hazardous waste recycling centers in your area. Properly dispose of paints, chemicals, and motor oils. Never dump them in the bushes or pour them down the sink or toilet or in the catch basin (storm sewer, rain gutters). Where to go? Check your phone book, or online at www.earth911.org.

7. Never dump debris or garbage into a ravine, creek or lake. The material may kill fish or even block a stream causing flooding. 8. Do not hose materials into the street. Report any spills, or individuals putting materials down the storm drain.

9. Landscape for the environment. Reduce impervious surfaces on your property and replace unnecessary grass with natural plantings and trees to slow water flow. These steps also reduce the need for fertilizer and watering.

10. Remember—slowing the storm water down, keeping it off of hard surfaces, and allowing it to infiltrate through the soil as much as possible, will greatly improve the quality of our lakes, streams and groundwater.

By June Kallestad