When you rake up fall leaves, don't rake the yard only. Collect leaves from the sidewalk and street in front of your home.
Consider bagging, composting or mulching leaves after you collect them. That way they won't blow into the street, driveways or parking lots.
These simple steps keep rain and wind from moving leaves into storm drains. That's important because leaves and yard waste clog storm drains and cause flooding.
It also reduces the number of leaves that end up in waterways. This is an issue for areas like Colorado Springs that have lots of trees throughout the city. Large amounts of leaves and grass in the water contribute to excess levels of nutrients. This causes significant issues in downstream waterways and reduces water quality.
For more ideas about how you can help keep our creeks and waterways healthy and clean, visit https://coloradosprings.gov/forcleanwaterways