What you put down the drain and on your lawn will likely end up in one of our three rivers.
Protecting the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord rivers is a daily exercise. But you can do your part. Choose non-toxic household products at home that don’t contain phosphorus or harmful chemicals. Clean up after your pets to help keep fecal bacteria out of the river. Recharge stormwater on your house lot, maintain healthy soils and landscaping that doesn’t require irrigation, and avoid using fertilizer containing phosphorus. Avoid using coal tar-based driveway seal coat. Use less water outside and inside to improve stream conditions and temperatures for sensitive species like brook trout. Plant and maintain trees to shade the land, pavement, and streams to keep streams cooler. The list below contains some helpful resources for making your home more river-friendly.
Your river stewardship can extend outside onto the rivers by joining with others at river cleanups and invasive plant pulling. Get wet and possibly muddy and feel the satisfaction of making a tangible difference in our rivers!