The winter road salt testing seasoned ended April 23 with one final testing for chloride in the local creeks. Results from the season (seen in Figure 1) indicate that the creeks in the Little Falls watershed are experiencing high levels of salt despite the lack of winter storms.
No Snow Yet, but Salt Levels are High in the Watershed
LFWA citizen scientists are busy at work again, this time testing for salt pollution in our creeks. While the 3 inches of rain last weekend washed away much of the salt pollution, the baseline tests taken in mid-December showed high levels of salt - almost to the chronic level. This is alarming as the freshwater organisms who live in the creek, cannot survive when the salinity of the water gets too high. The saline levels are caused by road salt which makes its way into the creek through run-off when the salt melts.
These high levels at the beginning of winter are a reminder of long lasting effects of road salt.
Just a sprinkle will do.
High baseline levels are also a reminder to keep salting to minimum on your sidewalks and driveways. We want people to be safe, but we also want healthy creeks. So read the instructions on the salt containers carefully and remember more is not better. A 12 ounce coffee cup holds enough salt to treat a 20 foot driveway! And if there is salt still on the pavement after the storm - you can sweep it up and save it for another storm.
call 311 to report salt spills
Montgomery County is committed to responsible salt treatment of public roads and sidewalks. This means removing piles of excess salt. Please, if you see piles of salt on your street or other public areas, call 311 to report. They will come out and clean it up.
More information about the LFWA Salt Watch program and Salt Wise winters HERE.
Snow Plow Painting Raises Awareness of Road Salt Toxicity
Salt Testing Shows High Baseline Levels
Baseline readings of the streams in the Little Falls watershed showed high to chronic levels in three locations. Both the Little Falls and Willett Branches had levels above 200 ppm in our December baseline reading. The Willett Branch reading was 290 ppm, which is above the tolerance threshold for fresh water organisms
Salt monitoring programs shows that effects are felt long after snow events
Volunteers testing creeks in the Little Falls watershed found that although salt readings in area creeks spiked to toxic levels after snow storms, they did not always return to safe levels after the events. Since November 2021, trained LFWA volunteers have tested 8 sites along the Minnehaha, Little Falls and Willett Branch creeks before and after snow storms as well as once a month in the warmer months. Two of the sites along the Little Falls Branch exceeded the threshold that freshwater aquatic life can tolerate over a period of three years even when there was recent storm. Only two sites consistently returned to safe levels after a storm.
Woody Stanley Named Winter Salt Watcher of the Month
Congratulations to Woody Stanley, LFWA Salt Watch Team Leader, for being named the Izaak Walton League Winter Salt Watch monitor of the Month, February 2022. LFWA is proud to partner with Izaak Walton in their winter salt watch program.
From the Izaak Walton Website:
Woody Stanley is the Salt Watch coordinator for the Little Falls Watershed Alliance in Bethesda, MD. While LFWA had a Salt Watch team, Woody took the program up a notch this year and recruited, organized and trained 16 volunteers to monitor three streams in the watershed at seven locations.
The volunteers test monthly (since November) to establish baseline readings and before and after snowstorms with Woody’s support at every step. He’s always available to answer questions, clarify the reading procedure and even meet volunteers creek-side to walk them through the app and testing procedure. Further, Woody is the inventor of the Tomato Stake Scooper – a really handy way to take a sample while safely standing on the creek bank, eliminating the risk of falling into the creek.
Woody also maintains our database, compiling all the information and producing graphics that are posted on our website and on community listservs.
Because of Woody’s efforts in organizing this initiative, LFWA now has a good idea of how much salt is being used during storms and how it is affecting the creeks. We have already used the data in our advocacy for more judicious salt application. And at least one local municipality is seriously rethinking their salt policy because of this increased data. Further, because Woody presents the information in a clear graphic form, public awareness of the problems with salt has increased and we are hearing from people who want to know who they can call to clean up excess salt.
Learn about the LFWA Salt Watch Program HERE.