As summer shifts into autumn, we savor the last boat rides, earlier sunsets, and brisk evening swims. At the same time, property owners around the Glen Lake/Crystal River Watershed focus on familiar fall checklists: closing cottages, pulling docks, and preparing yards for cooler months ahead. Along with these seasonal tasks comes another important ritual—yard care. The way you care for your property this fall will shape the clarity and health of the lakes and streams next summer.
How Autumn Shapes Next Summer’s Water Quality
Fall is one of the most important times of year to influence lake health. Leaves, grass clippings, fertilizer, and pet waste may seem like small things, but when they reach the water, they release nutrients that fuel algae growth and invasive plants. Over time, this excess nutrient load can cloud the water, lower oxygen levels, and stress fish populations. Waterfront properties play the most direct role, but upland and forested lots also contribute runoff that flows into waterways.
Four Tips for Waterfront Owners
1. Care for leaves and clippings. When leaves pile up along the shoreline or drift into shallow water, they become a significant source of nutrients as they decompose. Compost them away from the water, and use the mulch as a natural fertilizer in your lawn. Keep piles away from the lake, and ask your lawn care provider not to blow leaves into the lake. Avoid burning near the water, as ash contains phosphorus.
2. Limit fertilizer use. A soil test will indicate whether your lawn actually needs nutrients. Many don’t, especially in the fall. Applying fertilizer too late in the year often means it washes into groundwater and streams rather than benefiting your grass.
3. Leave shoreline buffers. A natural strip of native vegetation–known as a native buffer strip–set between the lawn and the water filters runoff, prevents erosion, and provides wildlife habitat. The best fall care is to let these native plants and grasses stand through the winter and naturally die down. They act as a natural shield, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and come back healthy in the spring.
4. Pick up pet waste. It may seem minor, but uncollected pet waste contributes nutrients and bacteria to stormwater that eventually reaches the lake. Regular cleanup is one of the simplest ways to prevent contamination.
Three Tips for Forest and Upland Landowners
Even if your property is away from the water, your choices matter.
1. Compost leaves away from steep slopes, ravines, and streams where nutrients and debris can wash into waterways.
2. Stabilize driveways, footpaths, and trails before winter freeze–thaw cycles cause erosion.
3. Leave brush piles or standing dead trees in out-of-the-way areas, away from buildings and paths. They provide habitat for wildlife and help maintain soil stability.
Every Yard Connects to the Watershed
As autumn deepens, the shoreline grows quiet and the last boats are stored away. Amid fall routines, it’s worth remembering the tasks that care for the watershed. Thoughtful fall yard care protects water quality and ensures healthier conditions for fish, wildlife, and recreation.
The choices you make this fall have a ripple effect. Keeping leaves out of the lake, skipping fertilizer, picking up pet waste, and letting natural vegetation stand are all simple steps that help keep the Glen Lake/Crystal River Watershed clean and vibrant for the seasons to come.