Sustainable Salting Practices and Local Water Quality

While road salting keeps us safe on roads, sidewalks, and parking lots during winter, it also contaminates waterways and groundwater, kills roadside vegetation, compacts soils, and allows heavy metals to move through the soil, potentially affecting drinking water wells. The good news is that municipal crews, private contractors, and individuals can all use sustainable practices that reduce the use of salt and still maintain our safety. In this presentation hosted by Lewis Creek Association and Shelburne NRCC, Kris Stepenuck (Extension Associate Professor at UVM) will share the basics of a variety of sustainable salting practices that communities, businesses, and individuals can adopt to reduce salt use. Kris will also share results of recent interviews with Chittenden County road foremen about their salting practices, and what motivations and barriers they face in reducing salt use during winter snow and ice management. Lewis Creek Association’s Kate Kelly will share results from recent water quality sampling for chloride in local streams.