Waterfront Property on Lakes and Rivers Risks Floods and Fertilizer Pollution

November 5, 2012

Waterfront Property on Lakes and Rivers Risks Floods and Fertilizer Pollution

Interview with Chicago Area Realtor Jerry Grodesky

Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water, November 5, 2012 Sponsored by Nature's Tears® EyeMist®

Living on waterfront property near the ocean, a river or a lake, has always been part of the American Dream and appears to be natural human tendency. Of the world's 30 largest cities, 24 are either on the ocean or a major river. Chicago realtor Jerry Grodesky has made a career out of selling lakefront and riverfront property and notes that although living on a lake or river has many benefits, there are also risks (such as floods) and responsibilities (such as protecting the water from fertilizer pollution).

Grodesky was interviewed by Sharon Kleyne on the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water syndicated radio show on November 5, 2012. The Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water is sponsored by Nature's Tears® EyeMist® for dry eye.

According to Grodesky, he has specialized in waterfront property for 21 years and his own home fronts on Lake Michigan. Grodesky sells properties on Lake Michigan, the Chicago, Fox, Des Plaines and Illinois Rivers and on many smaller lakes in the Chicago area. He also specializes in small farm properties in which farming is not the primary income.

Grodesky emphasizes that when he moved onto his property, he quickly realized that he was the custodian of the land. The way he treated his property could impact the lives and health of people living around him and the lake or river ecosystem.

One immense problem is "fertilizer pollution" - the overuse of lawn fertilizer that washes into the water and can cause algae growth that can be unhealthy or dangerous to fish (and swimmers). Sharon Kleyne observed that mulching a lawn will enable it to retain more water so that it is naturally healthier and requires less sprinkling and fertilizer. Grodesky commented that he mulches his lawn simply by going over the fallen leaves with a lawnmower.

The Chicago Botanical Gardens, says Grodesky, encourages waterfront owners to keep their property as natural as possible and to not over-groom or over-landscape. He adds that lakes represent a closed ecosystem that can easily be disrupted by fertilizers and sanitary waste.

Sharon Kleyne explained that she and her husband live on property fronting Oregon's Rogue River and that with changing climate conditions and more energy in the atmosphere, they have experienced three "100 year floods" in the last 30 years. She said that before one purchases riverfront property, it is critical to find out how often the area floods and the exact flooding pattern - which spots are likely to get flooded and which are less likely. Oceanfront properties are subject to hurricanes, tsunamis and high wind.

There was a discussion of organic and dryland farming, with Grodesky noting that organic farming can be challenging on a small farm because pollen from neighboring farms that grow non-organic, hybridized crops, will often cross-pollinate with the organic crops. Dryland farming is an excellent way to conserve water and lower costs. The method relies on mulching to help the soil retain water.

Finally, Grodesky discussed the Asian carp, a destructive bottom fish that has migrated up the Mississippi into the Illinois and Des Plaines River systems. There has been a concerted effort to keep Asian carp out of the Chicago River, which flows into Lake Michigan. The Chicago and Des Plaines Rivers (and the entire Mississippi and Great Lakes drainages) are connected by the man-made "Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal." Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes thus far appear unaffected, although a few Asian carp have turned up in the canal.

Grodesky's website: www.farmandlake homes.com

The Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water is broadcast live on Mondays, 10 a.m., PST/PDT. The syndicated radio talk show is heard on Voice America/World Talk Radio, Green Talk Network and Apple iTunes. Go to www.SharonKleyneHour.com for written summaries and on-demand podcast replays of al shows, including the October 1, 2012 interview with Bill Deane.

The Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water is sponsored by Nature's Tears® EyeMist® - all natural 100% water mist to instantly and conveniently sooth dry, dehydrated, tired and irritated eyes.

© 2012 Bio-Logic Aqua Research (137).