LAWNS GREEN, LAKES CLEAN
Use phosphorus-free fertilizer

We all want clean lakes. Unfortunately, over 50 lakes in Maine have been turning GREEN and phosphorus is the culprit. You can help prevent your lake from turning green by replacing your regular lawn fertilizer with a phosphorus-free fertilizer.

Why? Phosphorus is in living things and soil, but when too much enters a lake or river, it disrupts the balance of life. Phosphorus is like "junk food" for algae (microscopic plants). Just one pound of phosphorus can produce 10,000 pounds of wet weeds and algae! When additional phosphorus gets washed into lakes and rivers , the algae grow out of control (algal bloom) reducing the visibility or clarity of the water. The lake turns green, leaving unsightly scum, foul odors and bad tasting water. In some lakes, repeated algal blooms can result in fish kills or loss of the cold water fishery (salmon, trout, etc.).

Research

There is a measurable economic impact from algae blooms (lake water turning green). Researchers have calculated the relationship between water clarity and property values for regions around the state of Maine. For example in Belgrade for every three feet of reduced visibility in a lake’s water there is a reduction of 5% in property values. In addition there is a decrease in tourism to a lake that is "green" further decreasing income to a lake community.

There is a growing body of research, from Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota, that concludes: phosphorus from fertilizer does run off lawns via storm water and enters our surface waters and ground water both of which can reach lakes. The concerned citizens in these states have been using phosphorus-free fertilizer for many years.

Runoff from our yards

It is not only the shorefront owners that contribute to the problem. 50% of Maine drains to our lakes. The other 50% drains to a river or bay. This means when it rains storm water runs over lawns, woods and roads, off into streams and ditches carrying pollutants including phosphorus. The area that drains to a lake, river or ocean is called a watershed. Research conducted in Maine showed that in watersheds that are converted from their natural, forested condition to residential, commercial and agricultural uses, the amount of phosphorus runoff increases by a magnitude of 5 to 10 times. Once there is an over abundance of phosphorus in the lake, it is NOT feasible to remove it from a lake. A few lakes with high phosphorus were been treated with alum, a very expensive and not always successful procedure. The only solution is to control the run off of phosphorus into lakes.

Commercial use of phosphorus-free fertilizer

In Maine, the commercial sector has been using phosphorus-free fertilizer. Many lawn care companies have been applying phosphorus-free fertilizer for years. Chuck Ravis, turf consultant and former golf course superintendent at Augusta Country Club, states, "For quite a few years, we were using phosphorus-free fertilizer and had excellent fairway turf." Clyde Walton, former long time Maine Department of Transportation Landscape Architect, endorses the use of phosphorus free fertilizer, "This is an excellent fertilizer to enhance turf and minimize the amount of pollutants entering the lake."

Soils have phosphorus

Most soils in Maine have enough phosphorus to keep a lawn healthy. An application of lime will make even more phosphorus available to your lawn. A new lawn may need a small amount of phosphorus to help root development. To see if your lawn needs phosphorus, CONDUCT A SOIL TEST BEFORE YOU ADD FERTILIZER. Get your soil test kit at University of Maine Cooperative Extension Offices, by calling 581-3591, or by replying on the web http://anlab.umesci.maine.edu. Consumers should check on the bag of fertilizer for a string of three numbers. The middle number represents phosphorus and consumers should purchase fertilizers with a middle number of zero to avoid adding phosphorus to our lakes and ponds.

New Legislation

After eight years of voluntary use of phosphorus-free lawn fertilizer in Maine, Representative Jane Eberle introduced the bill, An Act To Protect and Improve Lake Water Quality by Reducing Phosphorus in Lawn Care Fertilizer, on behalf of the Maine Congress of Lake Associations to further decrease the use of phosphorus. Following in the footsteps of Minnesota , Maine is the second state in the nation to restrict phosphorus in lawn fertilizers to protect the quality of lakes and streams. The new law went into effect on January 1, 2008.

Now is the time for people who use fertilizer to switch to phosphorus-free fertilizer to help protect our lakes. For more information, please call or email Barb Welch, Lakes Education Coordinator, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, 287-3901.