What You Can Do

You CAN help restore and enahnce the water quaility of Oostanaula Creek.
Here's how you can make a difference:

ON STREAM VISITS:
• Don’t release aquarium fish or snails into streams. Don’t release store-bought pets like turtles, tadpoles or frogs into streams either.
• Carry your trash out with you and take back at least one piece of someone else’s litter.
• Stay on paths and avoid trampling vegetation. Operators of off-road vehicles (ORVs) should use discretion and "tread lightly" rules when approaching watercourses.
• Make sure your shoes, clothes and other gear aren’t carrying any seeds or spores from non-native vegetation.
• Take someone with you who is not aware of how important streams are to Tennessee. Teach them what you’ve learned.

AT HOME:
• Apply fertilizers and pesticides according to instructions on the label, and avoid application where they can run off into streams.
• Dispose of motor oil and other household toxic or hazardous materials properly. Take them to be recycled at approved centers (Athens City Recycle Ctr -423-744-2748).
• Practice water conservation. Fresh water is a valuable resource.
• Always see if a permit is needed before physically altering a stream or streambank. Aquatic Resource Alteration Permits (ARAP) are issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Pollution Control.
• Plant native vegetation along streambanks and bare spots in order to reduce erosion and nonpoint source pollution.
• Have your septic system inspected and maintained regularly.
• Compost yard wastes.
• Pick up trash, litter, and pet wastes.

ON THE FARM:
• Get a conservation plan or follow an existing one.
• Manage manure for maximum crop nutrient value and minimum runoff.
• Keep livestock out of streams and riparian zones.
• Reduce erosion from crop fields by using conservation practices such as reduced tillage and crop rotation.
• Fertilize according to soil test results.
• Use rotational grazing systems for pasture.
• Leave vegetative buffers along stream banks.

IN YOUR COMMUNITY:
• Adopt a section of the creek and organize stream clean-up activities in your neighborhood.
• Contact organizations working to protect stream resources.
• Call the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and ask about the condition of rivers in your watershed.
• Contact the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and ask about nonpoint source pollution control measures in your watershed.
• Let your public officials and elected representatives know that rivers and streams are important to you. Write letters and attend public hearings.
• Participate in or start your own local watershed association to find solutions to common watershed problems.
• Become involved on possible zoning ordinance amendments. Zoning ordinance amendments require time for public participation and comment. Offer to participate in or start citizen groups that help local officials identify ordinances and ordinance amendments to improve their land use planning decisions.