What can you do to make a positive difference in Portage County's groundwater quality and quantity?
The previous sections focused on building awareness, knowledge, and skills. The final step in developing an environmentally literate person is taking action. You can help through individual actions, group actions, the political process, and/or education.
 | apply research studies about improved or new agricultural technologies
or practices
| ||||||
| grow crops that require little or no fertilizer and pesticides | ||||||
| properly store and apply manure | ||||||
| properly store, use, and dispose of hazardous materials and chemicals | ||||||
| reduce the use of fertilizers | ||||||
| reduce the use of pesticides | ||||||
| irrigate during morning and evening hours | ||||||
| rotate crops | ||||||
| use nutrient management practices | ||||||
| use Integrated Crop Management (ICM) techniques |
Chemical and Hazardous Material Use:
| properly store, use, and dispose of household cleaners |
| properly store, use, and dispose of hazardous materials such as paint, pesticides, and other chemicals |
| use environmentally friendly cleaning alternatives |
| don't let the water run while washing dishes or brushing your teeth |
| fix leaking faucets or toilets |
| plant native plant species in your yard |
| use water-saving devices |
| wash full loads of laundry |
| water your lawn in early morning or at night |
| conserve water & energy (Conserving Wisconsin's Water & Energy Resources brochure) |
| attend public meetings and hearings to stay informed |
| attend groundwater-related conferences and workshops |
| give presentations to community organizations and governmental boards |
| teach lessons or activities to adults, and youth in school and/or scouts |
| participate in and/or organize volunteer projects or programs |
| join the PIE subcommittee or form/join a Wisconsin Groundwater Guardian Team |
Form a New OR Join an Existing Groundwater Guardian (GG) Team
| join an existing Wisconsin GG Teams |
| form a New Wisconsin GG Team |
Get Involved and Stay Informed:
| attend public meetings on groundwater and other environmental issues |
| attend workshops, conferences, and training sessions |
| join organizations or clubs dedicated to protecting the groundwater resource and/or environment |
| participate in and/or organize volunteer projects or programs |
| send your message to the media about events (newspaper, radio, TV) |
| take political action by voting, attending public meetings, writing letters to your editor and elected officials, participating in committees and more. |
| send your message to the media about events (newspaper, radio, TV) |
| consider installing a nitrate removal system to reduce the amount of nitrate leaching into the soil |
| don't dispose of hazardous materials, like paint thinner, down the drain |
| properly locate, construct, and maintain septic systems |
| when building a new septic system, consider new designs that reduce nitrate levels entering the soil |
| participate in your community recycling program |
| compost kitchen, yard, and crop waste |
| reuse containers |
| test your soil to learn nutrient makeup |
| test your well water annually |
| actions for high nitrate levels |
| actions for high pesticide levels--preventative actions and reactive actions (pesticides in your water--what to do) |
| conduct studies about the water quality of your watershed or groundwater |
| Plover River Water Quality Research Project |
| don't clean chemical storage or application devices near the well |
| don't mix or store chemicals near the well |
| properly locate, construct, and maintain wells |
| properly seal abandoned wells |
| test your water annually |
Yard Maintenance Practices: Lawn care and landscape practices can help create a healthier yard, reduce the need for chemicals and watering, and protect groundwater quality by decreasing runoff and leaching.
| avoid or reduce the use of fertilizers; if necessary use water-insoluble nitrogen (WIN), which is released slowly, in sandy soils |
| avoid or reduce the use of pesticides |
| leave clippings on the lawn to provide nutrients and reduce weed growth |
| mow grass to no less than three inches to reduce weed growth and plant stress |
| plant native vegetation species suitable for soil type, light, and moisture conditions |
| plant a variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers |
| surround your planting beds with an edging or border to help control erosion and runoff |
| test soil to determine lacking nutrients |
| use mulch in planting beds and gardens |
water cycle | groundwater
defined | groundwater
movement | groundwater
uses | contaminants
| glossary
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