Tips on How You Can Help Miller/Walker Creeks:
Start Being a Better Steward Today

We all can be good stewards of Miller and Walker Creeks! Whether you live right next to the streams or a mile away, your actions can help improve water quality and reduce stormwater. This, in turn, will help our region's efforts to improve Puget Sound. These tips also can make your home a healthier place and save money!

There are many ways that you can contribute:

Practice "natural yard care":

• Build healthy soil
• Plant right for your site
• Water smart
• Think twice before using pesticides
• Practice natural lawn care 

Protect native streamside ("riparian") vegetation:

• Use native plants for beauty, water conservation, and ease of maintenance
• Keep streamside areas naturally vegetated

Control invasive weeds:

• Keep ivy out of trees (external link)
• Control noxious weeds

Keep soap suds and grime out of storm drains:

• Take your car to a commercial car wash
• Wash your car on the lawn or gravel driveway
• Use a car wash kit for your charity car wash

Take care of your car:

• Fix oil leaks in your car
• Keep your car tuned up
• Wash your car on the lawn, not in the street, or use a carwash

Conserve water:

• Think about easy ways to save water, such as turning off the tap when brushing your teeth (external link)
• Install low flow showerheads, faucet heads and toilets (external link)
• Use timed watering and avoid overwatering your yard (external link)

Put household hazardous waste in its place:

• Dispose of harmful chemicals properly
• Use less toxic alternatives

Reduce runoff/practice "low impact development":

• Plant trees
• Plant a rain garden (Adobe Acrobat 20 MB) (external link)
• Minimize paving
• Reduce runoff to storm drains

Volunteer at an upcoming restoration project:

• Local stewardship opportunities 
• Stewards of the Cove every second Saturday of the month (external link)

Basin Steward Available to Help

Contact basin steward Dennis Clark, 206-296-1909, if you want to:

• Volunteer to help plant trees and control invasive weeds
• Improve your streamside property with natural yard care and use of native plants
• Arrange a presentation for your school, community group, or faith community
• Report fish sightings or non-emergency problems with the creeks

Stewardship of the Miller/Walker Creeks basin is jointly funded by the City of Burien, City of Normandy Park, City of SeaTac, King County, and the Port of Seattle. On behalf of the partners, this page is proudly hosted by King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks - Water and Land Resources Division.