STORMWATER
Did you know that the way you look after your yard could actually affect the quality of the Oldman River?  It's true!  The number of times you water your lawn, the amount of pesticides and fertilizers you use, and what you put down the storm drain have an impact on the quality of the stormwater that returns to the Oldman River.

The Urban Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) Team has been studying these very issues.  In the summer of 2004, they sent a survey to over 2000 households in Lethbridge to determine their lawn watering and care practices, and residents' general understanding about stormwater and water quality.  Over 900 residents responded.

Highlights of the survey results include:
  • 70% of respondents water their lawns weekly or more often.
  • 67% use weed and feed products.
  • 80% believe it is important to reduce the amount of lawn watering.
  • 79% believe it is important to reduce the use of weed and feed products.
  • 93% are concerned that the Oldman River water quality may be declining.
  • 92% are concerned that lawn and garden chemicals may pose health risks.
  • the majority of respondents were not aware that a pesticide is a chemical product that controls not only insects but also vegetation, fungi or rodents.
  • the majority of respondents were not aware that stormwater is not treated before it flows into the Oldman River.
The Urban BMP Team is using these results and other information from their study to develop a framework to guide the design and delivery of a pilot education program for Lethbridge.  This pilot will be used to address stormwater quality in urban settings in the Oldman River Basin located in southern Alberta.

Read the Full Report (1.1 MB PDF).