Florida Yards & Neighborhoods 
Reduce Stormwater Runoff
By Ed Ayen, Florida Yards & Neighborhoods
This is another in a series of articles written about the new area urban conservation program called Florida Yards & Neighborhoods.
Great strides have been made here in central Florida to reduce what is called “point sources” of pollution such as smokestacks and sewage discharge. But a more widely spread and scattered source of pollution, “nonpoint source pollution”, is threatening our ecosystems.
Dissolved pollutants can reach our groundwater through a process called leaching. Our sandy soils in this area are certainly prone to leaching and possibly runoff during the upcoming rainy season. A properly landscaped yard with good mulching and a healthy lawn can absorb stormwater runoff, protecting Florida’s natural waters. Runoff that is not absorbed often contain nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers that fuel algal blooms in our streams and lakes. These blooms smother natural vegetation, depleting oxygen, which kills fish. More alarming, harmful substances, such as household pesticides and fertilizers, may leach into our water supply, which can harm people and aquatic life.
One of the basic concepts of a Florida-Friendly yard is that rain that falls on your yard should soak into your yard. If your roof has rain gutters, aim the downspouts at a porous surface so water can soak into the soil and not run down the street or pool next to buildings. You may wish to incorporate functional earth shaping into your landscape such as swales and berms which can help divert runoff that would otherwise rush from your yard. If you have a waterfront property adding a maintenance-free zone of native wetland plants to a berm or swale will make your yard more waterfront-friendly.
Rain barrels or cisterns may be used to capture rainwater. The Highlands County Master Gardeners have rain barrels available at the Ag-Center in Sebring, for a small donation. They also have information available on how to build your own rain barrel. Barrels are great for hand watering, and they are not mosquito breeding grounds if the downspout fits tightly and openings are screened. Cisterns will store a greater supply of rainwater that may be used for non-potable uses but require more engineering.
Whenever possible use porous materials such as mulch, gravel, brick and pervious concrete for walkways, driveways or patios. They allow rainwater to seep into the ground, helping to filter pollutants and reducing the amount of runoff from your yard.
Finally, use pesticides and fertilizers wisely so they are retained in the yard and do not run off or are leached into the ground water.
The Florida Yards and Neighborhoods program is being implemented through your local county extension service in Highlands, Okeechobee and Glades County and is partially funded from Clean Water Act Section 319 funding from the U. S. EPA through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Ed Ayen is available to address interested groups such as homeowners associations, voluntary organizations and clubs. For further information he can be reached by calling the Highlands County Extension Service office. Phone: (863)402-6540 or email. Location is 4509 George Blvd., Sebring, FL 33875-5837