News

Guard the Grand

Jun 16, 2023

Guard the Grand

Mission Statement

Guard the Grand is an educational program with the goal of fostering an ethic of environmental stewardship in Oklahomans residing in watersheds that flow into Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

Guard the Grand is an educational program with the goal of fostering an ethic of environmental stewardship in Oklahomans residing in the watersheds or recreating on one of the lakes or rivers that make up the Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees. To learn more about the Grand Lake watershed and the Guard the Grand program download our Guard the Grand app. Just scan one of the QR codes below!” To schedule an educational event or workshop contact us at guardthegrand@grda.com.

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A watershed is an area of land that drains the rain that falls on it and the streams that run through it to a common area, such as a pond, river, or lake. They can be as small as the area surrounding a pond, or as large as the one for the Mississippi River. No matter where you are, you are always in awatershed. The Grand Lake watershed lies in four states, but you can make simple changes to help us Guard the Grand. Check out our resource section below to see how you can help!

Workshops

As part of our commitment to protecting water quality, we offer a variety of workshops and host rain several educational events. For more information on our workshops email us at guardthegrand@grda.com.

Business Workshop Topics

Landscaping and Lawn Care: Geared towards lawn care professionals and landscapers, this workshop will discuss soil health, fertilizer, pesticide and herbicide use near the lake and the use and benefits of rain gardens and rain barrels.

Developers and Construction Contractors: The OKR-10 and OKR-140000 permits require construction companies that disturb one or more acres of land to have a permit to discharge stormwater off their construction site. This workshop will discuss both permits and erosion and sediment control best management practices.

Septic System Installers and Maintenance Providers: This workshop will discuss rules and best management practices on installation and maintenance of septic systems.
Marinas and Boat Repair Shops: Painting, staining, gas pumps and paint stripping can affect water quality. This workshop will discuss how marinas and boat repair shops can help reduce oil, greases and other chemicals from inadvertently contaminating the water bodies they are on.

Resources

Working with students from the Oklahoma Water Survey at the University of Oklahoma, we have developed a series of pamphlets to provide information on a variety of topics to help area residents and businesses better understand how to protect their watershed.

Thank You

Thank you to all the businesses that help us Guard the Grand! Each of the listed businesses has either installed a best management practice, hosted a workshop, shared our information or a combination of several things. It takes all of us to protect the water quality in Grand Lake. For more information on how you can become a Guardian of the Grand, contact GRDA.