What you can do to help Salmon

• Volunteer. Volunteer to help with salmon restoration projects and monitoring in your area. View the list of Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
  
  
• Conserve water. Salmon need water. The more you conserve, the more water salmon will have.
  • Fix leaky faucets and toilets.
  • Install aerator-style faucets and showerheads.
  • Run full loads of clothes and dishes. When you buy a new washing machine, buy a front-loader.
  • Sweep your driveway or sidewalk instead of hosing it down.
  • Let your lawn go golden brown in the summer. It will rebound by fall. Apply no more than one inch of water per week to your lawn or garden. A healthy lawn requires mowing, watering, fertilizing and a lot of other work.
  • Replace high-maintenance lawns with native, drought resistant plants.
    
    
• Keep water clean. Salmon need clean water.
  • Never dump anything down a storm drain.
  • Recycle used motor oil and fix oil leaks in your car and trucks. Recycle antifreeze and other toxic fluids.
  • Cut down on fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. If you use these chemicals, follow directions and use them sparingly. Don't fertilize before a rainstorm. Consider using organic fertilizers. Compost or mulch lawn clippings.
  • Wash your car at a commercial car wash instead of at home. Soapy water,  dirt and grease from car washes drain to a sanitary sewer, not a storm drain. Many commercial car washes also save water by recycling the rinse water. If you wash your car at home, use a mild dishwashing liquid and park your car on the grass so the vegetation will absorb the soapy waste.
  • Dispose of pet waste properly and fence larger animals away from streams.
  • If your home is on a septic system, have your tank inspected routinely to determine and fix any problems. Get your tank pumped on a regular basis (generally every three to five years). Use phosphate-free detergents and limit your use of bleach.
  • Reduce impervious surfaces at home and increase the vegetated land cover of your property. Impervious surfaces include your roof, driveway, patios and lawn. Reduce rooftop runoff by directing your downspouts to vegetated areas, and not to the storm drain on your street. For your driveway and patios, consider putting in permeable paving or patterns of cement and brick that allow water to filter through.
    
    
• Keep water cool. Salmon need cool water.
  Plant trees alongside streams to help keep water cool and provide shade. Planting trees near streams or anywhere helps control and slow stormwater runoff. Keep shorelines natural and build homes and other structures away from shorelines.
  • Learn more. Educate yourself and your family about your local watershed. Consider volunteering for stream restoration or other local volunteer projects.
  • Make smart growth choices. Choose to live in a neighborhood that provides you with all conveniences—low maintenance homes and lawns, nearby shopping, walking paths, easy-access to buses and trains, and green, open spaces to enjoy.