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It is important to keep the rivers in Colorado as clean as possible so that you can enjoy water recreation activities, and also, it will protect the environment for the plants or animals that live near the rivers. Here are some of the ways that you can keep the rivers in Colorado cleaner.

Way 1: Don’t Throw Trash into a River

You might think that throwing trash into a river in Colorado is an easy way to get rid of large items such as vehicle tires or broken appliances, but these items decompose into dangerous chemicals that damage the water of the river in addition to changing the flow of the water. In addition, it is illegal to toss trash into a river, and if you are caught, then you will receive a fine.

Way 2: Keep Chemicals Away from Sewer Lines

If you allow the chemicals on your home’s lawns to enter the sewage drains, then the substances will eventually reach the local rivers in Colorado. Some of these chemicals are from the fertilizers and pesticides that you use outside on the lawns of your home, but detergents, paint and oil from working on vehicles or caring for the exterior of a home can also damage the water in rivers.

Way 3: Don’t Throw Grass Clippings, Plants or Leaves into the Street

After mowing the lawns, working in a garden or raking leaves, you should collect the grass clippings, leaves and plants for proper disposal into the bags that your city requires for trash collection. When plants, leaves and grass clippings are left on the sidewalks or in the street, the materials flow into the sewage drains to change the condition of the water that will reach the rivers in Colorado.

Way 4: Don’t Introduce Invasive Species into the River or to Its Banks

Avoid introducing invasive species to a river or its banks in Colorado. This includes tossing aquarium fish, pet reptiles or other animals into the water. These animals can destroy the river’s natural environment by introducing diseases or eliminating the original wildlife and aquatic creatures in the area. In addition, invasive plants can disrupt the river’s environment, leading to additional problems from pollution.

Way 5: Wash Your Vehicle on the Lawn Instead of the Driveway

When you wash your vehicle on the driveway, all of the pollutants that are on the item will flow along the pavement into the sewer drains. This will introduce debris that includes tar, rock salt and chemicals into the rivers’ water so that these substances will change the natural chemistry of the water that is in the rivers in Colorado. Wash your vehicles on the lawns instead so that the soil will naturally filter the chemicals from the dirty water to protect the rivers.

Way 6: Stop Adding Pavement to Residential or Commercial Properties

The soil is a natural filter that helps with the removal of pathogens and pollutants. When an area is paved, the water is not filtered before it drains into the sewage drains or streams. This filthy water will run off into the rivers of Colorado, adding contamination that can change its natural environment. The rivers of Colorado eventually flow through several states and into Mexico, polluting hundreds of miles of water and thousands of miles of land.