EATON CONSERVATION DISTRICT

michigan water stewardship program (MWSP) has launched a brand new website!

We are excited to announce that the Michigan Water Stewardship Program (MWSP) has been updated and has re-launched. The program originally launched in 2010. This is a statewide program facilitated by Eaton Conservation District and is funded by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development - MDARD. The program encourages individuals to take voluntary proactive steps to protect Michigan’s water quality – our drinking water – as well as protect our other valuable natural resources while caring for our family’s health. The website has great resources for residents (homeowner tool kit), educators (lesson plans) and students (activities).
The new website features a 'Water Story' that has three characters or 'paths' that users can navigate. They can choose between Professor Dew, Droplette, and Trickle. Each character explores different aspects of the water cycle and will help students and adults make important connections to our water resources and why its important we care for them. We encourage all of our partners to utilize this website for your outreach and education. Remember, we're all connected by water. 💧
Please see official press release here.

ready, set, crimp!

Roller crimping is a great way to terminate your cover crop without applying herbicide or using tillage! It's the perfect tool for creating a green mat of weed suppression that you can plant right into. Do we have your attention yet? Good! If this sounds like something you might be interested in using next spring, click the button below to take our survey! Your answers will be helpful in securing the above crimper to rent out next year, as well as help us plan for our annual fall field day!

Crimper survey

annual photo contest - show us your best
eaton co. natural resource pics!

It's that time of year again: time for our annual photo contest! Every year, we are thrilled to see the beauty of Eaton County through your camera lenses! Contest entry form and rules can be found on our website, or by clicking below! Please note: entry deadline is Thursday, November 19th and the picture MUST be natural resource themed in nature. Go here for a photo contest entry form.

homeowners: Help keep storm drains clear of debris and litter

A storm drain is usually a network of underground pipes designed to control flooding by transporting stormwater from urban areas to a waterbody. A storm drain may also be known as a curb, gutter, channel, ditch, pipe or culvert.

Many people assume that these drains or gutters flow into “treatment” facilities. In reality, storm drains flow directly into rivers, lakes, streams, sounds, or oceans. Even if you’re not directly dumping anything into a storm drain, non-point source pollution can occur. Rainwater washes soil, street litter, oil, leaves, grass clippings, pet wastes and fertilizers into storm drains. Material flowing into storm drains does not get treated before emptying into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. This untreated material can pollute the waterways in your community. Although individual storm drains may contribute small amounts of pollutants the combination of many storm drains can cause a negative impact on water quality.

It is especially important in the fall to rake your leaves and bag them up or mulch them if you live in an urban/suburban area as rainwater can wash leaves into storm drains. This is harmful because research has shown that leaves absorb motor oil. When these oil soaked leaves make their way into our drains they are going directly into our waterways. Nearly 50% of Americans get their drinking water from surface water so it is important we do our best to protect our rivers, lakes and streams.