Watershed Quarterly

May 2022 | Issue No. 28

April Events

The Great Tulsa Cleanup has ended, and we have over 600 participants!

Families, groups, organizations came through for the community through the Great Tulsa Cleanup! Participants chose over 35 different locations of Tulsa to clean.

The selected sites were chosen because they have not been adopted through the “Adopt a Stream” or “Adopt a Spot” programs and a lot of litter has built up in these areas over time. To learn how you can still get involved please contact Stormwaterquality@cityoftulsa.org

Another event that went on during April in honor of Earth Day was our Fishing Derby. The Parks Department hosted a Close to Home Fishing Derby. The winner for the Derby received some awesome prizes and had a wonderful experience. There will be more events like this to come, so follow us on Facebook @cityoftulsa to stay up-to-date!

What is a Watershed?

Have you ever heard the term “watershed” and wondered what it was?

A watershed is an area of land where all the moisture that falls on it flows into the same waterway. In Tulsa, each creek in the city ultimately drains into the Arkansas River.

Runoff from residential sites, commercial buildings, and illegal dumpsites are just a few examples of how pollution can get into our watershed. You can also find grass clippings, car oil and parts, plastic waste, and sediment in our creeks and streams.

Keeping these items out of our creeks and streams can ultimately help keep our larger bodies of water clean.

Visit Save Our Streams to learn more about Tulsa’s watershed.

Species Spotlight:

Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

This month's species spotlight is the catfish! Catfish range in size and behavior. They are named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat’s whiskers. Catfish are bottom feeders, which means they like to live at the bottom of deep pools of water to catch their food. They are omnivorous species that enjoy eating a variety of fish, mussels, and crawfish.

Though catfish are very common in Oklahoma, they play a critical role in our environment. Some freshwater mussel species use channel catfish as a host for their larvae. The larvae travel in the gills of the catfish and fall out onto the bottoms of rivers and lakes, where they transform into adults.

Spring Cleaning - Household Pollutant Collection Facility

With Spring in full gear, many of us are thinking about cleaning our homes and businesses. Be sure to utilize the Household Pollution Collection Facility during your spring projects. You can dispose of all your unwanted household cleaners, fertilizers, pesticides on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Once you drop off your unwanted items, our team carefully sorts them, identifying anything toxic, flammable, or acidic. These pollutants are then picked up and disposed of properly. Some of the items collected can even be reused. For example, the collected oil is used to heat the facility during the winter. If you are looking for specific cleaners, check out our Swap Shop. For more information on the Household Pollution Collection Facility, visit us online or call (918) 591-4325.

"Yard by Yard" Project Steers Homeowners Toward Natural Landscapes

Did you know adding a few ‘earth-friendly’ practices to your home lawn care can make a big impact on pollinators?

Tulsa’s “Yard by Yard” Community Resilience Project is an initiative of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission. The program highlights homeowners who utilize green lawn care systems that help with pollinator, soil, and water conservation.

‘Earth friendly’ practices include maintaining a pesticide and herbicide-free yard, increasing your mowing height, using rain barrels to collect water, composting, planting native plants, using host plants for native wildlife, and much more.

Tulsa County residents can submit a video or pictures of their yard and a simple checklist of activities to see if they qualify for the “Yard by Yard” project.

For more information, or to submit your yard, visit the Oklahoma Conservation online.

Visit the City of Tulsa online