
The rainy season has arrived!
Rainy Season Has Arrived!
November typically marks the beginning of the rainy season in Oregon, and this year it looks like it is going to arrive right on time as a burst of heavy rain and an atmospheric river are forecasted to drop 1 to 2 inches of rain in the Willamette Valley over the next few days. This may cause some urban flooding impacts due to leaves blocking the storm drains causing water to pool on roadways.
The City of Salem has issued guidelines for residents and business owners to dispose of fallen leaves responsibly, as blowing or dumping leaves into the streets may block drains, potentially causing street flooding and water backups. Residents are encouraged to gather fallen leaves from their properties and place them in yard waste or compost bins for disposal. While it’s necessary to keep the leaves out of the storm drains it is also important to know that they do not belong in the landfill. There is no oxygen in a landfill to decompose organic matter properly, which causes anaerobic conditions and the generation of methane, which is a greenhouse gas.
Leave Some of the Leaves
Turf grass is the single largest “crop” grown in this region which leaves a disproportionate ratio of lawn to garden in most yards and is the main reason we rake, mow, and blow leaves in our yards. While a thick layer of leaves is too much for turf grass to handle, a thin layer can provide benefits like adding organic matter to the soil, suppressing weeds, and moisture retention. Any remaining leaves can be piled up a couple of inches thick around ornamental trees, shrubs, and perennials and used as free mulch. Fallen leaves have a lot of the same properties as shredded wood mulch as they are high in Carbon. If you still have extra leaves that need to be disposed of, please take them to a composting facility such as Highway Fuel, where they will be safely recycled into compost.