Risk Assessments - Home and Farm Environmental Assessments

Yard and Garden Care

The Issue: Your yard and garden might be the last places you would look for pollution problems, but gardeners are responsible for a number of activities that may threaten human health and the environment. On the average, homeowners use ten times more chemical fertilizers and pesticides per acre than farmers use on farmland. These chemicals can find their way into ground water and surface water if not applied correctly. Improper storage of even small quantities of chemicals can lead to spills and/or contact with children. When exposed soil washes away during storms wildlife habitats and waterways are harmed. Excessive watering of lawns and gardens wastes water and causes surface runoff. Gasoline powered mowers and weed cutters are noisy and can pollute the air. While it may seem that your contribution as one gardener is minor, the effect of hundreds and thousands of gardeners in a watershed can really add up!

To see if you should obtain and complete one of these voluntary and confidential risk assessment packets, answer the following questions.

YES	NO		Risk Screening Questions
		1	Has it been more than a year since you've had your soil tested?
		2	Do you use fertilizers in large amounts?
		3	Do you use fertilizers and chemicals without regard to labeled instructions?
		4	Are you using a type of grass that may not be thriving or is pest-proned?
		5	Do you have a hilly landscape or lack groundcover?
		6	Is your compost pile poorly maintained?
		7	Is your compost pile less than 100 feet (50?) from a shallow well or surface water body?
		8	Do you need to constantly water your lawn to keep it alive?
		9	Do you water your lawn during the hottest part of the day?
		10	Do you notice excessive runoff from areas that you are watering?
		11	Do you apply pesticides to sick plants before carefully identifying the cause of the problem?

Answering yes to any of the questions indicates a potential risk to ground and surface water quality may exist on your property. If you answer yes to any of the questions, contact the Home*A*Syst/Farm*A*Syst office to obtain a complete assessment package on this topic at:

Chris Koehler, Extension Agent
WSU Cooperative Extension
Spokane County
222 North Havana
Spokane, Washington 99202-4799
509-477-2169 office
509-477-2087 fax
e-mail: Chris Koehler

For more information on this issue, contact your local WSU Cooperative Extension office locations or Conservation District.

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Cooperative Extension, Washington State University, 222 N Havana, Spokane, WA,99202-47990 USA