Living on a Creek - Backyard Stewardship

Take care of creeks from your backyard

You can help people, creeks and wildlife by following these landscaping, water quality and water conservation tips.

Practice Salmon Friendly Gardening by choosing native plants and reducing pesticide and herbicide use. For more native plant suggestions, refer to the Washington Native Plant Society.
Improve the health of your lawn without using chemicals with Natural Lawn Care.
Use compost and mulch: Grow Healthy Soil with compost to improve water quality and decrease run off. You can even make compost and mulch at home with yard waste and food scraps.
Reduce run-off, which can carry sediment and chemicals into creeks, with Smart Watering. You can also save water with Efficient Irrigation.
Reduce impervious surfaces, or surfaces that don’t absorb water, on your property.

Protect your creek’s water quality by Storm Drain Stenciling.
Report Surface Water Quality Problems such as leaking automobiles, concrete dumped in the street, or paint in the drain.
Learn ways to keep water safe and clean.

Save water at home and at work to keep water in our reservoirs and rivers, which provide habitat for fish and other wildlife.