Pet care

High concentrations of pets and other animals (ducks, geese) coupled with an urban environment (large amounts of pavement) can contribute a large amount of pollution to the river. This is because animal waste left on paved surfaces enter the river either directly or through storm drains. Through proper waste management and reducing the overabundance of geese and ducks, bacteria and nutrient pollution from this source can be greatly reduced.

Cleaning up after your pet is another way to help protect the Rouge River and be a responsible neighbor. Pet waste left on sidewalks, streets or yards contain numerous pollutants such as nutrients and bacteria. These pollutants can easily be washed into nearby storm drains and into the River. Discard your pet's waste by flushing it down the toilet or throwing it in the trash.

Other pet care tips:

• Wash your pet either in the house or the lawn. Don't allow the bath water to enter into the storm drain.
• Use non-toxic alternative to flea powders, if possible. After using a flea collar, dispose of the collar at a household hazardous waste collection site.

Don't feed the ducks

Feeding the ducks near a calm body of water. It seems like a relaxing, harmless activity. However, did you know feeding the ducks is not healthy for the ducks or the river?

Feeding the ducks, geese and other waterfowl has made them lazy and dependent on humans. So instead of migrating south or continuing their flight throughout the area in search of food and shelter, waterfowl stick close to places where they are fed. As a result, many local parks and ponds are overrun with waterfowl (and duck and geese feces).

Another problem is the type of food we feed geese and ducks. Just like humans need certain food in their diet (vegetables, fruits), ducks and geese need certain types of food (not bread). In addition, like pet waste, waterfowl waste contributes nutrient and bacteria pollution to the Rouge River.

Just remember, a sufficient amount of food already exists within a lake or river for native waterfowl. So, for the sake of the river and waterfowl . . . please don't feed the ducks.

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Please address all comments and suggestions about the contents of this Web page to rougeweb@co.wayne.mi.us.

The Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project is funded, in part, by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Grants #XP995743-01, -02, -03, -04, -05, -06, -08 and C-264000-01.