Oakland Conservation District

10/08/2026

09/23/2026

As the season changes, your garden and yard are doing more than just winding down for winter. What happens in your outdoor spaces this fall has a direct connection to the water quality of Oakland County's local rivers, lakes, and streams.

Here are some simple fall practices that protect local water quality:

Avoid fall phosphorus applications. Applying phosphorus fertilizer in the fall increases the likelihood of phosphorus running off into surface water over winter. If your lawn or garden needs nutrients, a soil test first will tell you exactly what is needed and when to apply it.

Manage your water garden. If you have a backyard pond or water garden, fall is the time to trim back plants after the first frost, remove decaying debris, and keep fallen leaves from sinking to the bottom where they decompose and release nutrients. Excessive plant material decaying in water gardens can reduce oxygen levels and lead to algae issues in spring. Never release water garden plants or fish into Michigan's lakes, rivers, or streams as many common water garden species are on Michigan's invasive species watch list.

Keep leaves out of drains and waterways. Rake or mulch leaves away from storm drains, ditches, and shorelines where they can wash into local waterways and release phosphorus and nitrogen over winter.

Small steps taken now protect Oakland County's watersheds all winter long and set your yard up for a healthier spring.

Sources: canr.msu.edu/news/fall_field_practices_to_protect_water_quality | canr.msu.edu/news/caring-for-water-gardens-in-fall-reduces-problems-in-winter-and-spring

09/11/2026

If you have ever spotted what looked like a big puddle in the woods this spring, you may have been looking at a vernal pool, and it was probably full of life.

Vernal pools are small, isolated wetlands that fill from rain, snowmelt, or high groundwater in spring or fall and dry up by late summer. Because they dry out, they never have fish, making them a safe haven for amphibians and insects to complete their life cycles and raise young. Even after the water dries up, animals continue to use the dried beds as cover to raise young and avoid predators.

In Oakland County, vernal pools are home to an impressive range of species. Oakland County Parks has documented blue spotted salamanders, eastern newts, eastern tiger salamanders, spotted salamanders, and four-toed salamanders at parks like Addison Oaks. Birds and mammals also rely on vernal pools as a critical water and food source in early spring when other resources are scarce.

Beyond wildlife, vernal pools filter stormwater runoff and reduce flooding before it reaches local streams and lakes, making them a natural tool against nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in Oakland County's watersheds.

Here is how you can help:

- Learn to identify vernal pools and share findings with the Michigan Vernal Pools Partnership
- Avoid filling or draining low-lying wet areas on your property
- Minimize fertilizer and pesticide use near seasonal wet areas
- Check out Oakland County Parks' Vernal Pools Story Map to get involved locally

Sources: michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/mi-environment/2025/05/19/vernal-pools | oaklandcountyblog.com/2023/09/19/oakland-county-parks-natural-resources-team-hard-at-work | mivernalpools.com

Photo By/Credit: USFWS

09/09/2026

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year in Oakland County, but those gorgeous leaves on your lawn are often overlooked sources of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution if they end up in the wrong place.

When leaves are blown or raked into streets, driveways, and storm drains, the next rain sweeps them directly into local rivers, lakes, and streams without any treatment. As leaves decompose in the water, they release nitrogen and phosphorus, the same nutrients that fuel harmful algal blooms, deplete oxygen levels, and harm fish and aquatic life.

However, leaves are actually a valuable resource. Michigan's EGLE calls them Michigan's original fertilizer, and keeping them on your property is better for both your lawn and our local waterways.

A few simple ways to manage leaves this fall:

- Mulch leaves back into your lawn by running over them with your mower set to its highest setting
- Mow in a crisscross pattern to break leaves into smaller pieces that decompose over winter and reduce w**ds in spring
- Compost leaves at home mixed with grass clippings for finished compost by spring
- Keep leaves away from storm drains, streams, and lake edges at all times

Many Oakland County communities also offer curbside yard waste pickup or drop off sites as an alternative to bagging.

Sources: michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/mi-environment/2024/10/29/leaving-the-leaves | canr.msu.edu/news/autumn_brown_to_spring_green

09/02/2026

Michigan is home to some of the most valuable wetlands in the country, and chances are there is one closer to you than you think.

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is present at or near the surface for part or all of the year. They include marshes, swamps, bogs, and wet meadows, and they play a critical role in protecting the water quality of Oakland County's local rivers, lakes, and streams. Michigan's wetland law recognizes the wide range of benefits that wetlands provide to our communities, recreation, tourism, and economy.

Here is what wetlands do for our water and our community:

- Filter nonpoint source (NPS) pollution by acting as a natural biological and chemical treatment basin, absorbing sediment, nutrients, and other pollutants before they reach open water
- Store floodwater and slow stormwater runoff, reducing flooding risk in surrounding neighborhoods and along stream banks
- Recharge groundwater supplies by allowing water to soak slowly into the ground rather than rushing into storm drains
- Provide critical habitat for fish, migratory birds, and rare or threatened wildlife species
- Support nutrient cycling that keeps aquatic food webs healthy and productive

Despite all of these benefits, Michigan's wetlands continue to face threats from development, invasive species, and a changing climate. According to EGLE, areas that have already experienced significant historic wetland loss continue to face consequences including water quality issues, flooding, and loss of wildlife habitat.

The restoration of drained or altered wetlands can re-establish important ecological functions, including new wildlife habitat, increased flood storage, and improved water quality for the surrounding watershed.

Michigan landowners can voluntarily participate in wetland restoration through EGLE and the Michigan DNR's Voluntary Wetland Restoration Program. Protecting and restoring wetlands is one of the most impactful things that can be done for Oakland County's long-term water quality.

Sources: michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/water-resources/wetlands | michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/water-resources/wetlands/wetlands-watershed-planning | watershedcouncil.org/our-waters/wetlands

08/26/2026

In a natural landscape, rain soaks into the ground, filtering through soil and replenishing local groundwater, streams, and lakes. But as communities grow and develop, open spaces like forests, parks, and grassy areas are replaced with rooftops, driveways, and parking lots. Water has nowhere to go. Instead of soaking in, it rushes across these hard surfaces, picking up oil, sediment, fertilizer, pet waste, and other pollutants before flowing into storm drains and directly into local waterways, untreated. This is what impervious surfaces do, and it is one of the leading drivers of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. Studies have shown that up to 70 percent of the pollution in our streams, rivers, and lakes is carried there by runoff from practices carried out in our own yards and gardens.

The more impervious surface a community has, the worse the problem gets. More pavement means more runoff, more flooding risk, and more pollutants reaching Oakland County's five major river watersheds. In August 2014, Southeast Michigan experienced firsthand what that can look like when massive storms dropped four to six inches of rain in four hours, resulting in major flooding on roads, freeways, and parks across the region.

The good news is that practical solutions exist. Green infrastructure helps manage stormwater closer to where it falls:

- Plant trees: certain species of mature trees can absorb over 2,800 gallons of water annually, significantly reducing runoff volume
- Install a rain garden to capture runoff from rooftops and driveways and filter it naturally through the soil
- Choose permeable pavement for driveways and walkways so water can filter through rather than run off
- Disconnect downspouts and direct them onto grass or garden beds instead of pavement
- Add mulch and native plantings to bare soil areas to slow and absorb rainfall

Green infrastructure doesn't just protect water quality. It reduces flooding, cools neighborhoods, creates wildlife habitat, and can even lower water management costs for the whole community.

Sources: canr.msu.edu/news/soak_up_the_rain_part_1 | canr.msu.edu/news/why_do_we_need_rain_gardens

08/21/2026

Bare soil is a common source of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, and one of the easiest to fix.

When soil is left exposed in garden beds, yards, or around trees, rain hits it directly, loosening particles and carrying sediment, nutrients, and pollutants into storm drains and straight into Oakland County's local waterways. A layer of mulch can interrupt that process entirely.

According to MSU Extension, proper mulching conserves soil moisture, moderates soil temperature, suppresses w**ds, and increases organic matter in the soil. It also breaks down over time to improve soil microbial activity, reducing how much fertilizer you need down the road and keeping excess nutrients out of our local waterways.

Here are some easy mulching tips for Michigan homeowners:

- Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around garden beds, trees, and shrubs
- Use organic mulches like shredded hardwood bark, wood chips, or ground leaves since they contribute organic matter back to the soil
- Keep a 6 inch mulch-free ring around the base of trees to prevent rot
- Use shredded leaves from your own yard as a free natural mulch option
- Run over fallen leaves with a mulching mower instead of raking and sending them to the curb. EGLE notes that leaves are Michigan's original fertilizer and mulching them back into your yard keeps nutrients in the soil where they belong
- Avoid using un-composted grass clippings as mulch as they mat together and block moisture and oxygen from reaching plant roots

Small steps to keep soil covered this fall can make a real difference for Oakland County's watersheds all winter long.

Sources: canr.msu.edu/news/mulch_just_do_it | michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/mi-environment/2024/10/29/leaving-the-leaves

08/19/2026

You may not farm, but cover crops aren't just for farm fields, they can be used right in your own backyard garden too.

When soil is left bare, whether on a farm field or in a home garden over winter, rain hits exposed ground and carries sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus directly into storm drains and local waterways. This is nonpoint source (NPS) pollution, and bare soil is one of its most overlooked sources.

Cover crops are plants grown specifically to cover and protect soil when a main crop is not growing. Farmers across Michigan use them between harvests, but home gardeners can use the same approach in vegetable beds and garden patches. According to MSU Extension, cover crops in home gardens can help meet soil and plant nutrient needs, improve water infiltration, reduce soil erosion, and reduce w**d pressure and soil crusting.

Here are some cover crop options that work well for Michigan home gardeners:
Cereal rye: can be planted into mid-October, winter hardy, and great for erosion control
Oats: plant by end of August, winter kills on its own so no spring termination needed
Crimson clover: a legume that fixes nitrogen naturally, plant by early to mid-August
Daikon radish: breaks up compacted soil with its deep taproot, plant by early to mid-August

Here's why it matters for Oakland County's waterways. Cover crop roots hold soil in place, capture excess nitrogen before it leaches into groundwater, and open up channels in the soil so rain soaks in rather than runs off into local streams and lakes. Legume cover crops like clover also fix nitrogen naturally, reducing how much fertilizer you need the following season and keeping more nutrients out of local waterways.

Oakland County sits at the headwaters of five major river watersheds; the Clinton, Huron, Rouge, Shiawassee, and Flint. What happens in your garden this fall has a direct connection to the water quality in our local lakes and streams.

Sources: canr.msu.edu/news/using-cover-crops-in-the-home-garden | sare.org/publications/cover-crops-ecosystem-services/10-ways-cover-crops-enhance-soil-health | usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/initiatives-and-highlighted-programs/peoples-garden/soil-health/cov

08/14/2026

Erosion might seem like a slow, invisible process, but the warning signs are often right in your own yard, and catching them early can protect both your property and Oakland County's local waterways.

When soil erodes, it doesn't just disappear. It gets carried by stormwater runoff into storm drains, streams, and lakes, bringing along fertilizers, pet waste, oil, and other pollutants. This makes erosion a direct contributor to nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in our local watersheds.

Here are some signs that erosion may already be happening on your property:
- Bare or exposed soil, especially on slopes or near the water's edge
- Gullies or small channels forming where water flows across the ground
- Puddles or wet patches where eroded soil and water have settled
- Leaning or fallen trees with exposed roots near the shoreline
- Cloudy or discolored water near a lakeshore, especially after heavy rain

Prevention is far easier and less expensive than repair. Keeping trees, shrubs, and native plants in place, limiting turf grass at the water's edge, and minimizing impervious surfaces are some of the most effective ways to slow erosion. Deep-rooted native vegetation holds soil in place and slows runoff naturally, making it one of the best tools Michigan landowners have for protecting both their property and local water quality.

If your shoreline is already eroding, the Michigan Natural Shoreline Partnership has resources on natural bio-engineering solutions and a directory of certified shoreline professionals in Michigan.

Sources: shorelinepartnership.org/basics-of-erosion-control.html | canr.msu.edu/news/understanding_lakeshore_ecosystems_part_4_shoreline_erosion

08/12/2026

Between land and water, there is often a strip of vegetation doing some of the most important water quality work in the entire watershed.

Buffer strips are zones of permanent vegetation that slow and filter stormwater runoff while holding soil in place, reducing the amount of harmful phosphorus and sediment that reaches local rivers, lakes, and wetlands. A buffer typically begins at the water's edge and extends at least 30 feet inland: that stretch of plants, grasses, and shrubs acts as a natural filter, capturing excess nutrients and pollutants before they ever reach the water.

There are a few different types depending on the land and its use including:
— Shoreline gardens: a planted buffer between a lake or stream and a residential lawn, something any homeowner can establish
— Contour buffer strips: used on sloped agricultural fields to slow rainwater moving downhill and prevent erosion
— Wetland buffers: vegetation around wetland edges that supports wetland function, reduces flooding, filters pollutants, and provides critical wildlife habitat

Buffer strips don't just protect water quality. They reduce erosion, stabilize stream banks, support wildlife, and improve the land's resilience to heavy rain, making them one of the most effective tools for reducing nonpoint source (NPS) pollution at the landscape level.

Michigan landowners don't have to wait for regulations to act. Leaving native vegetation intact near waterways, avoiding mowing to the water's edge, and minimizing fertilizer and pesticide use near wetlands are all simple steps that protect Oakland County's watersheds. The wider and more natural a buffer remains, the greater its benefits for our local water.

Sources: cleanlakesalliance.org/buffer-strips | citizensforsuperior.org/post-1760