Raking leaves from your lawn in the fall isn’t just good exercise–it’s also good for streams, lakes and rivers! This annual fall event, brings together volunteers and city staff to rake and compost leaves that may otherwise end up in storm drains and the lake. To promote water quality and community pride, volunteers and scout groups rake leaves from area parks and the city cemetery located on a peninsula of Crystal Lake.
A U.S. Geological Survey study done in Madison, WI in 2016 found that fallen leaves are a significant source of pollution in their area lakes. Leaves are the source of 56% phosphorus pollution in the area’s lakes. This is important because one pound of phosphorus becomes 500 pounds of algae in the summertime. Researcher Hydrologist Bill Selbig says, “Carefully timed removal of those leaves…can generate significant reductions.”*
