Water & Weather Conscious Salting Event Recap

On January 4th Sustain Saint Paul was joined by Lindsay Schwantes from Capitol Region Watershed District and Barb Thoman of StopOverSalting for a presentation about reducing pollution from winter deicing. Every year an estimated 365,000 tons of chloride are used for winter deicing in the Metro area. Chloride permanently pollutes water, harms vegetation, and damages infrastructure. In Saint Paul, Como Lake and Battle Creek are impaired by chloride. Our presenters will talk about the problem and strategies – for individuals, property owners, and government - to reduce this growing problem.

Did you miss this event but are you interested in the information? Check out these notes by board co-chair Melissa Wenzel or review the presenters’ slides!

From Lindsey, CRWD:

• Multi-year momentum, recent urgent momentum in the last year leverage positive change.

• Info about watershed district, unique to Minnesota

• Along NW MN, flooding reasons specifically (but not solely)

• Inner suburbs (by request by community members in some cases, like CRWD)

• CRWD river boundary, falcon heights, to Roseville, to Maplewood; all drain to the river

• Most of our stormwater discharges/flows are often underground and within storm sewers (and work includes confined space-based inspections 

• CRWD has space to host community events for free!

From Barb, LowSaltNoSalt

• The river basin’s chloride level has increased by 35% since 1989 (pesticides, dust suppression in roads, just SO MANY SOURCES)

• 1 teaspoon of salt pollutes 5 gallons of water, permanently, to a toxic level (at that ratio)

• 365,000 tons (or 365,000 dump truck loads) of salt go to our surface waters

• SALTY WATER FAVORS INVASIVE SPECIES

• 2018: 40 lakes, river streams and wetlands impaired by chloride; 38 additional water bodies listed as 38 (possible 2023 update may indicate 67 water bodies)

• SALT KILLS TREES

• Salting occurs for safety reasons, of course!

• Can melt down to 15 degrees F and is cheap, and is based on current standards of “perfectly clear” roads and sidewalks, and expect to drive at posted speed ASAP post-storm.

• More salt = more safety? Not always (slip factor)

• Corrodes concrete, metal, grass….. (including sidewalks that cause a NEW tripping hazard! 

Strategies:

• Smart salting training courses (elected officials, property managers, and managers of roads, parking lots, sidewalks, specialty topics)

• Minnesota Model Contract for Snow and Ice Management

• Communication: “stairs and trails slippery” Signage can actually help remove liability for the building manager/owner.

• Handouts at establishments (that oversalt!) might be a great way to help educate. WD has resources

• WE SHOULD NEVER SEE SALT ON DRY PAVEMENT. EVER. If people are using it for traction, a different tool should be used.

• For larger buildings, it’s okay to close a sidewalk (rope/chain + sign)

• If warm or sunny, salt might not be needed. Check the forecast!

• Manual removal is highly encouraged! From commercial to residential, blowers, shovels, ice scrapers

• Even “Paw Thaw” ice melter and “Snowjoe “Eco Clean” blend isn’t regulated and likely not much better than their competitors. But “Cherry stone grit” (granite) works well. It doesn’t mobilize and dissolve, and IS removable

• Proper snow storage-have a plan!

• Scatter salt on ice ONLY, and each granule should be 2-3” APART. Its job is to break up the ice, not to remove it completely. Remove excess salt. It can be reused-sweep it up and save it!

Successes!

• Saint Paul Public Schools (60 head engineers/snow managers)

• Churches within the WD

• Barb: sent an email (Fort Snelling had a very large swath of their sidewalk way over salted…wrote email……within an hour got a response!!)

Take action!

• Sign the Low Salt, No Salt pledge

• Property owners: get a plan get trained in best practices, document to demonstrate “due care” in winter maintenance

What cities can do:

• Create/adopt a snow and ice management policy that lays out priorities and expectations

• Municipalities put clear and informative information about winter maintenance, safety, smart salting, and contacts on a city website

• Right size parking requirements, set parking maximums and charge by square footage for stormwater generation. (a not-so-subtle ask from Barb to Sustain Saint Paul)

What individuals can do:

• Talk with businesses and orgs that you frequent about winter maintenance practices

• Distribute fliers to property owners

• Contact the property owner when you see oversalting (or when there’s a success??)

What Sustain Saint Paul can do:

• Educate its members and to the public

• Influence policy change at city or county level

• Support policy and funding bills at the MN legislature