Written by Diane Spector
We may be seeing record high temps and hardly any snow, but there’s still plenty of winter left. When you do need to manage ice and snow on your property, remember to practice smart salting. Salt can help protect walking and driving surfaces, but too much salt pollutes our lakes, streams and wetlands and is harmful to wildlife. Rain and snowmelt in our neighborhoods ultimately ends up in Shingle Creek, which is an “Impaired Water” due to high chloride concentrations. Crystal Lake is also an “At Risk” lake which has elevated chloride.
Do your part to keep the chloride in salt from getting to our lakes and streams:
*Limit ice from forming by removing snow as soon as possible. If you have a lot of pavement to clear, focus on walkways and the spots that tend to get icy.
*Salt doesn’t work below 15 degrees unless it is specially formulated. Use an alternate product or put down sand mixed with grit and a little salt for traction. The City of Minneapolis provides free sand mixed with salt at various locations, the closest is 2710 Pacific St. on the north side of downtown- open 24 hours a day. Info: minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/snow/snow-clearing/sidewalk-sand/.
*More salt does not melt ice faster. A little goes a long way. There should be 2-3 inches between salt granules on the pavement.
*Sweep up salt remaining on the pavement and reuse it.
Learn more about Smart Salting from the Shingle Creek Watershed Commission at shinglecreek.org/smart-salting.html.