The property owners generally damage the canals through storm water runoff from their properties into the canals. It goes without saying that toxic substances (gas, paints, etc.), leaves, grass clippings and weeds should not be put in the canal since they obviously have a very detrimental effect on the quality of the water and silting of the canals.

Homeowners can help our canals by limiting the amount of nutrients and toxic materials being washed from their property into the canals during a storm.

Too much “nutrient enrichment,” called “eutrophication,” causes algae and aquatic plants to grow excessively. This includes the plant that raps itself around the propeller of your boat so that you cannot leave your dock. These “blooms” block sunlight and use up oxygen in the water killing the fish and destroying the quality of the water.

Eutrophication is caused by an excessive amount of nitrogen and phosphorous in the water but also by the addition of grass clippings and other vegetation to the canals.

In recent summers, a water plant called “sea lettuce/algae” blooms, dies, and rots, smelling like sewage. All these plants eventually die in the colder weather, fall to the bottom of the water, and dramatically help to silt in our canals.

The toxins in the water poison the food chain, which results in the death of fish and also the plants that help remove nutrients.

Dr. Jay Windsor and Garland Seville of the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Program, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, shared a great amount of information and literature with me which I would like to share with the people of South Bethany.

The one thing these gentlemen found over a period of years is that you cannot pass laws to prevent people from polluting the waterways. The people must be informed and desire to follow a relatively few simple guidelines for the good of their Town and the health and purity of their waterways so that everyone can enjoy them.

If one homeowner follows these guidelines, it is helpful but does not have the profound impact that every property owner following these guidelines would have on our canals. We cannot ask people to help dredge and clean our canals unless we all do our part.

The guidelines are the following:

1. Spoon-feed your lawn—In late August or early September put one (1) lb. of nitrogen on every 1,000 sq. ft. of lawn.

About six (6) weeks later, put another one (1) lb. Of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. ft. of lawn; and in March or early April, another one-half (1/2) lb. of nitrogen per 1,000 sq. lawn during a year. The grass cannot absorb any more than this, and the rest will be washed into the canals. A ten (10)-lb. bag or 10-10-10 fertilizer has one (1) lb. of nitrogen, one (1) lb. of phosphorous, and one (1) lb. of potassium ash (potash). The rest is basically “a filler.”

2. When putting the fertilizer down, be sure to use a “dry spreader,” not the “whirling type,” which will throw the nitrogen and phosphorous into the canal when you are spreading near the canal.

3. When cutting the lawn, use the one-third (l/3) rule—This means you cut the grass when you will be only cutting the top one-third (l/3) of the grass off. This allows you to leave the grass clippings on the lawn to be absorbed as fertilizer and not damage the lawn. Also, excessive grass clippings will not be washed into the canals causing eutrophication.

4. Always blow the grass clippings away from the canal when cutting your grass.

5. Have as much grass and as many flowers and shrubs on your property as possible. This absorbs nutrients and holds the soil in place. Large amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous, and toxins fall from the atmosphere and are contained in the soil.

6. Do not allow animal waste to lie in your yard because gradually this will be washed into the canals and add to eutrophication..

7. Never drop toxic materials (such as antifreeze, gas, brake fluid, etc.) onto your property, especially impervious materials (cement driveways, solid patios, etc.). Most of what you drop will eventually find its way into the canals, especially during a storm surge.

8. Have as little impervious material on your property as possible because these materials add to the surge of water that carries nutrients, toxins, and dirt into the canals.

9. Use as little weed killer and pesticides as possible. These will eventually get washed into the canals as toxic substances.

If you would desire more information on this subject, especially on the care of your yard and the flowers and shrubs that grow well in this area, please do not hesitate to contact me through the South Bethany Town Hall (302-539-3653).