It is also best to harvest the mowed grass to allow for thicker growth and remove nutrients that could be released into the waterway during decomposition. Setbacks Help Wildlife and You . Setbacks from waterways protect the buffer strip vegetation, provide a wildlife corridor, reduce exposure to floods. Best Management Practices for Farms and Forests . Avoid using phosphates in detergents.
Phosphates create algae blooms in waterways.
There are phosphate-free detergents are available commercially. Watch out for Hazards . If you are hooked up to a septic tank, try to minimize use of your garbage disposal. This will reduce the buildup of solids in your septic tank and reduce the frequency of pumping. Even if you are not hooked up to a septic tank, most of what you'd ordinarily put down your disposal can be composted into fertilizer which, if properly used, could save you money.