How to Keep our Lakes Clean: An FAQ
Can we bathe and wash our hair in the lake?
Sadly, there really is no environmentally friendly way to lather up in a lake.
Soaps can create algae blooms, which greatly alter the health of a lake. Even products that contain only natural ingredients may affect ecological balances in unintended ways.
A few generations ago, taking a bar of Ivory soap down to the lake for a bath created a fairly small human impact on a big body of water. But there are more people now, more pollutants in the water, and more chemicals from the shore washing into the lake.
Do not use the lake as a bathtub. Soaps and shampoos contain nutrients and pollutants that are harmful to the lake and organisms living in it.
Absolutely avoid antibacterial soaps or anything containing phosphorus.
How about washing our clothes or other things?
Detergents have a profound impact on the environment due to their chemical composition and the way they interact with natural ecosystems. The use of phosphates, nitrates, and various other chemicals in detergents has led to environmental concerns that need to be addressed.
Biodegradable and organic products should be used and filtered through a septic system.
Avoid washing objects with these products directly in the lake.
How about my garden, grounds and lakeshore?
If you live on the lake, you must have a buffer zone of plants/trees along the shoreline. If you have a garden, use indigenous plants and if you have a lawn, keep it small. Do not use chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
Use a permeable surface for your driveway to help runoff stay on your property and not wash contaminants into the lake.
If you have a septic system make sure it functions properly and meets current standards.
And boating and fishing?
If you fish, eliminate lead sinkers and jigs and switch to non-toxic tackle. Loons and other waterfowl are susceptible to lead poisoning from tackle they pick up off the lake bottom.
Go slow in your boat and stay away from the shore. Big wakes erode shorelines.
Is there anything I need to be aware of in the winter?
In the winter, do not use salt on your walkway and driveway. Chloride from road salt builds up in lakes from the runoff.
Resources:
https://www.kahshebasslakes.com/news/save-our-lakes-uncover-hidden-dangers-of-everyday-detergents
https://www.associationlacdore.org/protectingmylake
The University of Minnesota’s Extension Service provides a list of “Shoreline Stewardship Best Practices.” Prominent among them are “Stop washing dishes, laundry and self in lake while camping” and “Quit using soap or shampoo in the water.”
