Why shouldn yard trimmings and soil go into the storm drain? Doesn rain wash the same kind of material into the creek anyway?
A. When natural materials, such as yard trimmings, break down, oxygen is drawn from the water. In a natural setting the amount of this debris would be limited to the leaves of those plants and trees bordering creeks. However, in our urban setting, leaves and dirt on paved areas throughout the entire City are washed into creeks. A lot of natural debris can ruin the natural balance of the creeks, and harm fish. In addition, pesticides, oil leaked onto roads and driveways, and other pollutants are scoured from all the paved surfaces throughout our City and washed directly into our creeks and ultimately the South Bay.
