September 2024

Stormwater Awareness Week has grown into a statewide effort to encourage municipalities, residents, and community groups to raise awareness of how rainwater moves through our environment and its direct tie to water quality in our local waterways.

How You Can Participate in Stormwater Awareness Week

These are just a few ideas of how you can take action to protect our local water quality.

• Adopt a storm drain. Storm drains send runoff water directly to our creeks and rivers, carrying trash and pollution with it. Check on storm drains regularly and remove litter and debris from the storm drain. Only rain down the drain!
• Clean up litter. Picking up trash keeps the trash out of our waterways.
• Plant native plants and trees. Native plants are excellent filters of pollution while also providing food and habitat for native pollinators.
• Regularly check your vehicles and equipment for leaks. Stopping leaks helps keep vehicle fluids out of storm drains. Don't drip & drive!
• Pick Up Poop. Pick up your pet waste ASAP to keep your dog's poop from entering our waterways. Dog poop is high in e. Coli.
• Be Salt Smart. Prepare for upcoming winter weather by learning how and why to reduce your salt usage.

Learn more about Stormwater Awareness Week on our website.

What is the Health of Your Watershed?

Check out the US EPA How's My Waterway tool. Type in your address, and find out what your watershed is and health status. The first step to improvement is awareness!

Take the Pledge

Take Stormwater Awareness week one step further by taking the pledge! Plus, Franklin County residents will be entered in drawings for taking the pledge. Pledge by October 7 to be entered into the drawings!

78th Annual Meeting

Thursday September 19, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Our 2024 Annual Meeting will be held on Thursday September 19, 5:30-7:30pm at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. Keeping with the rotating watershed theme we started in 2022, please join us this year to celebrate conservation along the beautiful Scioto River. Proceeds go to our Conservation Fund and Mini Grants.

General admission tickets are $30 which includes dinner. The evening's agenda includes a quick overview of this year from staff, AmeriCorps, Master Rain Gardener, and the Scioto Watershed Action Group (SWAG). After dinner, join us for one of the 3 interactive tours:

• Stormwater management and green infrastructure at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center (a LEED certified building) with our stormwater staff
• Birding in the prairie with seasoned birders on our staff
• Invasive removal practices and native restoration sites with our conservation and watershed staff

We will also have a silent auction going on during the meeting. Thank you to our generous donors, partners and sponsors for supporting us!

2024 Sponsors

Franklin County Pollinator Pathway Meeting

Thursday September 26, 6-8pm

We are hosting a Franklin County Pollinator Pathway meeting on Thursday September 26, 6-8pm at Franklin Soil & Water Conservation District. This meeting with be hybrid. Register if you plan on attending.

Additionally, Franklin County Pollinator Pathway is moving onward and upward! Volunteers will be taking over the group from here with our blessing and ongoing collaboration. Next month, the Franklin County Pollinator Pathway meetings will move to the following section of upcoming events.

Upcoming Events

Check out these events from the District and our partners.



• VIRTUAL Community Backyards Workshop on Composting Tips & Tricks - Thursday September 12, 6-7:30pm
• Annual Meeting - Thursday September 19, 5:30-7:30pm
• Westerville Autumn Arborfest - Saturday September 21, 10am-2pm
• Franklin County Pollinator Pathway Meeting - Thursday September 26, 6-8pm
• Stormwater Awareness Week - October 1-7

Yardening Tips from Lonnie the Garden Gnome

Consider these September "yardening" tips.

• Leaves might fall early this year due to this summer's drought. Brush up on your fall leaf management.
• Fall is a great time to plant native perennials, shrubs and trees due to the cooler weather. Remember to water newly planted plants, especially trees, until dormancy later this fall. Natives are very resilient, but we are in a historic drought, so you might need to water more than normal.

Get the Scoop from Nature Scoop

Want to learn more about backyard conservation, pollinators, and more? Read the latest edition of the monthly newsletter Nature Scoop by Toni Stahl, National Wildlife Federation Habitat Ambassador.

Nature Scoop September 2024 - How to Get Started; Fall Garden Tips; Warblers & More!

Learn more at www.nwf.org/certify and on Twitter/X @NatureScoopOhio

Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District | (614) 486-9613 | www.franklinswcd.org