Every plant can intercept pesticides, fertilizers, dust, soil, and water and release oxygen into the atmosphere. Together, these plants produce an extensive, fibrous root system that helps stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. In addition, most grasses produce a layer of plant material, called thatch, that accumulates between the soil and the green vegetation. If not too thick, this layer can be effective in capturing and breaking down pesticides. Groundwater is water that collects beneath the earth's surface filling cracks and other openings in rocks and soil.
Surface water is the water in streams, lakes, ponds, and rivers.
Once contaminants such as certain kinds of nutrients, trace metals, bacteria, and pesticides reach groundwater, they may travel long distances, thus spreading the contamination. Soil eroded from a home with a poorly managed lawn may carry many contaminants to surface water. The transported sediment can clog lakes and ponds and carry chemicals into waterways, making them unsuitable for fishing, boating, and swimming. The purpose of this publication is to provide practical steps you can take to have a healthy, attractive lawn and a cleaner water supply. You can make a difference by the proper establishment and management of your lawn.