Leave it on the lawn – only rain down the storm drain

Leave it on the lawn - only rain down the storm drain

Published on October 29, 2025

Autumn's leaves are falling from trees, leaving Fort Worth property owners wondering what to do with them. The City's Stormwater Program encourages residents to "Leave it on the Lawn" and to keep in mind that leaves and other yard waste - including grass clippings from mowing - can clog storm drains, increasing the risk of flooding to streets and yards.

Leaves and grass should either be mulched and left on your lawn as compost to return valuable nutrients to the soil or raked up and bagged. Do not use a leaf blower to blow leaves or grass into the storm drain or into channels and creeks, since this not only clogs the storm drainage system and channels, but also ultimately pollutes our creeks, rivers and lakes because everything in our storm drain system flows downstream.

If in doubt as to what is legal to put into a storm drain, "Only Rain Down the Storm Drain" simply sums it up.

To report a clogged storm drain:

• Use the MyFW app to report flooding or clogged storm drain inlets.
• Contact the City Call Center at 817-392-1234.
• Email.
• Report online.

Learn more and stay informed about the mission of the Stormwater Program to "Protect People and Property from Harmful Stormwater Runoff" on the Fort Worth Stormwater Management webpage.

Information on the Stormwater Program's future priorities for funding and work efforts can be found online. Access the survey here to provide feedback on the Stormwater Strategic Plan.

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