Are You Part of The Problem?

Picture from Jennifer Latzgo.  Does your driveway/road look like this?

Kevin Brown, BCCD, Ag Resource Specialist
(Spoiler Alert- I just had to get this in here, just in case I lose you before you get to the end of the next article.  Do you know that rock salt is almost completely ineffective below 15 degrees?  And it uses cyanide as an anti-caking agent.  Yee-ha) 
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I know as human beings, we want instant gratification on everything.  When shopping for something, most people would like to have it in their hands immediately.  If they can’t find it in a store, they may have to get it online, but it darn sure better be there in 2 days or we are not happy.  Snowfall.  It snows at 9:00 AM today, and the roads better be clear by the time we leave work or we are all kinds of ticked off.  “What are those state guys doing?!!”  We often do this even to the detriment of anything else.  What do I care?  I want what I want, NOW. Be damned everything else.  Salting roads is the perfect example.  We forget how to drive on snow-covered roads, and we are extremely angry when the roads/parking lots are not completely bare right after the storm.  

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Salt is very bad for the environment.  (Salt is bad for us too, right?  High blood pressure).  Salt does do some wonderous things, but like anything else, it should be used in moderation.  I heard the other day on a news feed (Channel 16 news), that we should use 16 ounces per 250 square feet. That is one glass full per a 25’x10’ driveway.  That is not very much.  Why?  Read below.  Salt causes all kinds of issues. (This will be a multi-week story).   I have even seen it suggested as a “natural herbicide”.  Sure, it will kill weeds.  It will also prevent a whole lot of other things from growing in that area.  It is toxic to a lot more things than just “weeds”.

Below is an article originally written for Penn State.  I will publish more of it in the weeks to come.  If you want to read the entire article now, please visit https://extension.psu.edu/road-salt-pollution-moving-from-monitoring-to-action
Republished from Penn State Extension- Jennifer Latzgo, Master Watershed Steward, Lehigh Valley

It's winter again, and the salt trucks are a familiar sight as they rumble along our roads to melt snow and ice.  If you walk across a parking lot, you feel that familiar "crunch" underfoot from rock salt that has been spread. Many people think it is harmless because it's just salt and will dissolve and disappear after the snow melts.  Unfortunately, we now know that salt pollution has a profound effect on the environment, drinking water, soil, and infrastructure. This article is the first of a series of three where we will examine road salt pollution, its impacts, how to monitor it, and what can be done to reduce it.

Causes of Salt Pollution

Every year in the US, we use 15-32 million metric tons of road salt, and that amount has doubled since 1975. This is due to several reasons: first, increased development has produced more roads and parking lots that need to be kept clear of snow in winter.  Also, the public's expectations have changed over the past few decades, and people today expect roads and parking lots to be kept completely free of snow.  As a result, municipal employees and contractors often spread more chemicals than is necessary to avoid any possible accidents or injuries.

The main deicers used are sodium chloride (rock salt), magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride. They work by reducing the freezing point of water, and while they have slightly different properties, they all contain chloride, which travels very easily through the environment.

After they are spread, deicers can bounce and scatter and end up on the adjacent ground. Subsequent rain events wash some of these chemicals directly into streams, lakes, and ponds as part of stormwater runoff; some get washed down storm drains and travel to waterways, and many infiltrate the ground where they soak deep down into the groundwater. Studies indicate that approximately 45% of deicing chemicals end up in groundwater. Once they are there, they gradually build up over time.

Groundwater pollution is a serious issue in Pennsylvania because our streams are classified as "gaining" streams, which are fed year-round by groundwater. They also receive water from rain events, but that only results in temporary increases in water levels. The level of flow that exists when there is a period of no rain is called "base flow." If we test the water at these times, we can get a good indication of the level of salt pollution in the groundwater.

(Next week:  The Impacts of Chloride Pollution)
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The Bradford County Conservation District is committed to helping people manage resources wisely.  You can visit the Bradford County Conservation District at 200 Lake Rd in Wysox across from the Wysox Fire Hall. Contact us at (570) 485-3144 or visit our web page at www.bccdpa.com.