Urbanization within our watershed brings and increase of pavement and rooftops, increasing stormwater runoff which has a negative impact on the water quality of Lake Erie and also causes rivers to flood more quickly. Urban stormwater runoff collects dirt, debris, salt and other pollutants as it flows...
Every Spring the City of Defiance invites clubs, organizations, and citizens to pitch-in and get our parks ready for the season. Leaf and litter clean-up beautifies the parks and keeps pollution from our waterways. This is a great way to support our beautiful parks....
The City of Defiance has received a grant from Ohio Lake Erie Commission Funding to assess the riverbank along the Maumee River for riparian restoration efforts, which could include rock reinforcement and native plantings along this stretch of the Scenic River. In the next several weeks, this...
Photo Above: Green icons show where trees are planned for fall planting at Eastside Park. Species selected for this project include: Ivory Pillar Lilac, Sienna Glen Maple, Frontier Elm, Swamp White Oak, Crimson Spire Oak, Celebration Maple, and Patriot Elm. Thanks to grant funding from the Lake...
Small actions can have a BIG impact Excess organic debris left on hard surfaces can runoff into the drainage system and cause problems including harmful algae blooms in our waterways. Here are some simple steps property owners can take to decrease localized flooding, improve water quality, and...
Letting your garden go natural can reap big benefits The temptation to clean up leaves, spent flowers, and garden debris in the fall is great, but keep in mind there are many rewards to “letting your garden go”! The leaf litter, woody stems and other natural materials...
Recycling: With just a little effort we can keep so much more out of our landfill. Our city recycling programs are busy removing plastics and paper from the landfill, here are some ideas of where you can take other recyclable items. Appliances: Omnisource in Defiance, 419-784-5669 Okolona...
Small actions can have a big impact, so we’ve put together a list of simple ways you can help sustain our natural surroundings and improve local water quality. Here are 8 things you can do from home: Rain barrels are an effective way to reduce stormwater runoff...
While the City of Defiance has worked for many years, at great expense, to separate and replace sewer lines, there are still several combined sewers throughout our community. Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) occur when heavy rains overload the system and storm water—combined with waste water—is discharged directly...
Fertilize With Care Over-application of nutrients not only may impair plant growth, it can also contaminate groundwater by leaching through the soil and pollute waterways through run-off. A soil test kit, available at most hardware stores, will identify what nutrients you may need to help your lawn...
Every downspout on your home can deliver up to 12 gallons of rainwater per minute during a heavy storm. In the combined sewer area, many downspouts are connected directly to the sewer, potentially pumping millions of gallons of water into the sanitary sewers when it rains. To...
Why We All Should Care: Each year 24 billion gallons of combined untreated sewage and stormwater are dumped in the Great Lakes. Many combined sewers, where sewage and stormwater are transported in the same pipe, were built over 100 years ago. Although they were approved when built,...
