Winter is here, and we’re all hoping for plenty of snow to help recharge our groundwater for next spring. But with winter snow comes road salt—and while salt keeps our roads and sidewalks clear for safe travel, it’s also toxic to plants, animals, and insects both on land and in our streams.

That’s because during a snowmelt or rainwater, all the salt we’ve applied to our roads and sidewalks washes off the pavement and into our lawns, meadows, and streams—where it impacts both our drinking water and our stream health. And this isn’t just a winter phenomenon—road salt can percolate through the soil and into our streams and groundwater well into the summer months.

This year, we’re encouraging you to take part in The Izaak Walton’s League’s SaltWatch project. The project monitors salt levels in waterways before and after snow events.

Do you have access to a stream or other waterway? Request a free SaltWatch kit and help monitor the amount of road salt runoff already in our local streams and waterways, as well as any changes during the coming winter months. The kits are simple and safe to use, and results are easy to post and share. 

Not able to sample stream water? You can help reduce road salt runoff into our waterways by being smart with your salt usage this winter. Here are some tips:

1. Remove snow from your sidewalks before it becomes ice. The more snow you remove, the less salt you need.

2. Reduce your salt usage—a 12-ounce mug of salt is sufficient to treat a 20-foot driveway.

3. Reuse excess salt—just sweep up excess salt and put it back in the bag!

4. Read package labels carefully. They’ll tell you the appropriate amount of salt to apply to your sidewalk and driveway, depending on the air temperature. And watch out for deicers labeled as “eco-friendly” or “pet-friendly”—if there is chloride listed in the ingredients (sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride, etc.), it’s still a salt!

If you follow these tips, you’ll help protect both your landscape and our nearby waterways from excess salt.