2015 Winter Road Salt Symposium

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By Jim Grisim

In February, I attended the 14^th Annual Road Salt Symposium on behalf of the BLID. This symposium was sponsored by the Freshwater Society of MN.

The symposium was very informative and had some very knowledge speakers. Some of the presenters included:

-        Jim Gilbert, renown Naturalist

-        Brooke Asleson, Watershed Project Manager from the MN Pollution Control Division

-        By Satellite feed – Marta Ruiz-Llata, PhD, Professor, Madrid Spain

-        Carolyn Dindorf, Limnologist, Vice President, Fortin Consulting

-        MNDOT Operations Supervisor

-        Federal EPA Storm water Specialist

-        And other experts in storm water and road maintenance

There are many effects that road salt has on our streams, rivers, and lakes.  But also there are other environmental impacts and costs that road salt creates including:

-        Killing wildlife – birds, squirrels and other small animals that pick up looser salt and die of dehydration

-        Drawing deer and other animals out onto roads for the salt – causing increased car accidents and/or wildlife mortality

-        Killing or discoloring vegetation along the roads due to high chloride concentration in the soil

-        Increased crabgrass or other non-desirable plants that are more tolerant due to the high concentration of chloride in the soils

-        Killing of trees along roadways

-        Rust on vehicles

-        Deterioration of sewer lines and cement underlayment due to the salt

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The experts put the cost for the salt and labor to disperse it at $73 per ton for salt and $150 per ton for equipment and labor.  Per the environmental specialists, this $223 per ton cost goes up closer to $700-$800 per ton when you factor in all the other costs.  Therefore, there is a real incentive for local government public works and environmental groups to work together on reducing salt being placed on all roadways but especially ones along our waterways.

There are many Cities and Counties that already have a road salt reduction plan and monitoring program in place.  The BLID is working with our watershed, city, and county to find out what plans and programs we have in place.