Michigan is known for its beautiful unsalted freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams, but are these precious waterbodies getting saltier? For the northern states road salt is a must to keep driving safe during the winter months. “Towns, cities, businesses, and individuals dump roughly 20 million tons of salt every year nationwide” (Izaak Walton League of America).  Precipitation and snow melt carry the salt into the storm sewer systems.

“When we hear the word ‘salt’, most of us think of table salt, or sodium chloride. Road salt, or rock salt, can actually be a few different kinds of salts, like magnesium chloride or calcium chloride” (Izaak Walton League of America).  Cities, townships, and villages follow state regulations regarding the volume of salt they are allowed to distribute on our roads. Businesses and individuals, however, in the State of Michigan are not bound by contract to control their salt use.

This extra salt is not naturally found in our ecosystems and can create brackish water. Brackish water is typically found on the coast where salt water and fresh water collide. To catch this salt, the Izaak Walton League of America has formed a volunteer monitoring program. Volunteers sign up to take the salt watch pledge. They will receive a monitoring kit and submit their data. If you would like to take the pledge, follow the link, and join in today. If you are interested in receiving a kit immediately and/or do not want to take a pledge, but still want to sample, please email LGROW @ senci.pace@gvmc.org to receive a salt monitoring kit, we have several in office and would be happy to get them to you.