Living Sustainably: Watch that salt for watershed’s health

So far, it’s been a mild winter, but have no fear, snow and ice will surely appear. When they do, make sure you manage snow and ice responsibly to protect water quality.

Salt is toxic in the environment, but there are easy ways we can protect our soil and water resources.

The most common de-icing product applied to roads and driveways is salt (sodium chloride). Salt dissolves in water and is difficult to remove. Dissolved salts increase water salinity, which affects aquatic organisms.

If the salt-contaminated lake, river or groundwater is a source of drinking water, then it can impact human health. And salt can alter soil chemistry and harm plants.

We are specifically concerned about chloride in our lakes and streams since it is toxic to aquatic life. Historically, we have not monitored chloride in Lake Macatawa and area streams.

However, the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council (MACC) is doing preliminary monitoring in an urban stream this winter to determine if further study is necessary.

Meanwhile, there are many ways to reduce salt use and protect our soil and water.

At a large scale, area road agencies follow plans to balance public safety with protecting the environment.

Some actions they take include only applying salt to critical areas prone to icing, like intersections and bridges, as well as calibrating trucks to apply the right amount of salt and removing snow first before applying salt.

You can use these same tactics at home.

Keep in mind that a little goes a long way. Scatter salt so there is space between the grains. You only need about a coffee-mug worth for a 20-foot driveway.

If some doesn’t dissolve, sweep it up when dry and save it to use again. Only use salt where it is absolutely necessary for safety, like walkways and building entries.

Remember that salt is more effective if you first remove the snow, especially if it’s deep. The type of winter precipitation can impact when you apply salt.

If snow is heavy and wet, apply salt while it is falling to prevent ice buildup. If sleet or freezing rain is expected, apply salt ahead of the storm to prevent ice from forming.

Finally, salt is not effective when the air temperature is 15 degrees or colder.

Switch to sand for traction or an alternate de-icer that works at lower temperatures (such as magnesium or calcium chloride), but follow the guidelines above to limit the amount you use and clean up the excess.

Together, we can all do our part this winter and make a difference for water quality in the Macatawa Watershed.

— Kelly Goward is the environmental program manager at the Macatawa Area Coordinating Council. She works with local communities to improve, restore and protect Lake Macatawa and the surrounding landscape.

About this series

Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme

Environmental Awareness/Action: Environmental education and integrating environmental practices into our planning will change negative outcomes of the past and improve our future.