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Spring Rains: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Steve Tonn, Extension Educator – Omaha Metro Area Lakes

The spring rains have replenished soil moisture levels, helped plants recover from early spring freezes, and sparked abundant growth in our fields, lawns and landscapes.

But along with the good comes the bad. Flooding problems were wide spread throughout the area and region. Soil erosion was very evident in both rural and urban settings. Don’t forget the ugly pollutants that were scoured off fields, lawns, landscapes, roads, streets, sidewalks and driveways and deposited in lakes, creeks and rivers.

Stormwater is not clean water. Stormwater starts its journey to our lakes, creeks and rivers when it washes across the land. Whenever rain falls, water flows across streets, parking lots, rooftops, lawns and farmland. The flowing water carries sand, salt, fertilizer, pesticides, oil, litter and many other pollutants. In the Omaha metropolitan area, storm sewers carry large amounts of runoff water to Zorinsky, Standing Bear, Lake Candlewood, Cunningham, Walnut Creek, and Wehrspann Lakes and the Papillion Creek system.

Storm sewers are simply pipes laid underground beneath the streets. Inlets located along the curbs and in parking lots collect the runoff, which flows untreated to nearby creeks and lakes. A common misconception is that water running off the streets goes into a sewage treatment plant. It does not! The polluted water flows directly into our lakes and creeks.

The first step toward keeping our lakes and creeks clean is to think about what we do on the land.

Each of us contributes to stormwater pollution and each of us can help stop it. Here are some ways you can help:

• Don’t allow grass or soil to wash off your property and into the street or storm drain.
• Never dump gas, oil, or antifreeze on the ground or into a storm drain.
• Divert roof water to lawns or gardens where it can soak in.
• Clean up pet waste – bury it, flush it down the toilet or double-bag it in small, plastic grocery sacks and place it in your trash.
• Keep cars tuned up and repair leaks.
• Don’t hose off driveways but sweep up spills and dirt.

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