We love those summer sunsets over the glistening water of our city’s lakes, streams and river.
Kayakers, paddleboarders and canoers glide across the shimmering water of Lake of the Isles, embracing tranquility and beauty. Walkers and runners marvel at how perfect it all seems. Nearly perfect, that is.
“Nearly perfect” because each of the people notice something. The stray plastic bottle, the algae bloom, rubber bands and numerous pieces or trash. “How could this happen to our beautiful lake?” “How do we keep this from happening?”
The simple answer is that the source of this problem is the debris that enters our storm drains and flows directly to the lake, stream or river.
In our neighborhood, that’s Lake of the Isles and Spring Lake. Many people do not know that every single thing that enters our sewers enters the lakes! It’s as if you stood on the shore and tossed your debris into the water: that’s just nasty.
And, it’s not just trash, but our leaves and grass clippings are picked up by the rain (or overreaching sprinkler systems) and deposited directly into the lake frequently from blocks and blocks away!
Those leaves and clippings decompose and feed the algae which suffocates aquatic creatures, looks awful and smells bad.
We can change this if we have the desire to do so. YOU can help by adopting a storm drain on your block and helping to keep it clean. It takes minutes per week and will make a huge difference in the quality of our waterways. AND, you don’t need to do it in winter; just in warmer weather when water is flowing. You can find a partner who can take over for you in the event of travels.
I’m the Storm Drain Ambassador for the Lowry Hill neighborhood and I will help you with your drain adoption and maintenance.
In Lowry Hill, we have just 27% of our drains “adopted” right now and we’d like to get to 100% (yes, a little friendly competition with our surrounding neighborhoods).
It’s super easy and very rewarding and you can do it with kids of all ages.
Right now you can go to mn.adopt-a-drain.org and adopt your Lowry Hill drain as well as explore other details of this initiative. And, when you adopt your drain, please send me an email (Tom.Hoch2100@gmail.com) confirming your drain adoption so that I can coordinate with you and get you materials to help you.
I’d also like to plan a brief, fun, short gathering of all those adopters so that I can meet you face to face and ensure that you have what you need.
Let’s get to a 100% adoption and have the lakes and quality of life we all want!
