A second article from the Three Lakes Council website we’d like to highlight is titled “Lake Living” and has great information on keeping your lawn green while keeping the lake from getting green.

Some excerpts:

How you care for your lawn can have a big effect on the nearby lakes. Is a green, weedfree lawn really worth a green, weedy lake? Some lake management firms say just one application of summer fertilizer can cause an algae bloom in a lake….

Our septic systems and holding tanks arguably contribute more nitrates and phosphates to the lakes than any other source. It is important to keep these systems well maintained. If you haven’t had your septic tank pumped in the last two years, you should do so. When you have the tank pumped, have the pumping service assess the condition of your tank and need for pumping more frequently, and inspect the input and output baffles….

A vegetative buffer planted along the lakeshore filters out the nutrients that contribute to lake eutrophication. A minimum buffer width of 5-10 feet is recommended. However, greater buffer widths provide both increased filtration and a wildlife habitat benefit.

Check the whole article for all of the great tips.