By Amy Gronli
Features Writer
Soft rains and rivulets of meltwater from icy patches and snowbanks are welcome sights as spring replaces winter. All that water is subject to gravity’s rule, however, and the path of least resistance will be the chosen one as it flows from higher to lower ground. As water trickles downhill and seeps into the ground, it can unfortunately carry a host of things that can harm the world, including the lakes so cherished in our region.
“During the spring, we find that everything on our roads, our driveways, and ditches typically gets washed into our rivers and streams,” said Erin Vruwink, Water Resources Specialist with the Middle Fork Crow River Watershed District (MFCRWD), during a February 27 interview. “That typically includes road salt, sand, dirt, trash, leaves, grass clippings, and much more. Each of these elements, when they get brought into our waterways can have a very severe impact.”
Vruwink explained that salt is an especially harmful pollutant that can make the homes of aquatic life less inhabitable, and that one teaspoon of salt can permanently pollute five gallons of water. While winter might be technically over on March 20, Minnesotans know Mother Nature doesn’t always pay attention to a calendar.
Sidewalks and streets must be cleaned up after spring snowstorms, but using “smart salting” techniques from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency can help mitigate negative effects of snow clearance on the environment. Early, physical removal of snow and ice with shovels, snow blowers, and scrapers reduces the amount of salt needed for further treatment.
Using the right amount of salt and applying it where it’s effective is another strategy to minimize pollution. Applying salt to areas prone to icing over and not applying to bare pavement are good rules to follow, as is using only one pound of salt (what fits in a twelve-ounce coffee cup) over the area of ten sidewalk squares or one parking spot.
Using the right product, either rock salt when pavement is at least 15°F or magnesium chloride, potassium acetate, or calcium chloride at colder temperatures, is also recommended to make applications most effective.
Using sand as an alternative surface treatment to provide traction, no matter the temperature, is also a strategy for reducing the amount of salt introduced into the environment. How people respond to snow and ice has a major effect on the bodies of water that so many plants and animals depend on for their survival.
“How salt salinizes our lakes and streams has an impact on aquatic life because fish can’t reproduce and live in waters that have excess salt and nutrients,” Vruwink said. “That’s why we push for people to clean up their lawns, use [as little] salt as possible, because if you have all those extra nutrients and salt going into waterways, you’re not going to have as many fish.”
Vruwink explained that debris that enters waterways can overload the environment with phosphorus. An excess of phosphorus can promote the overgrowth of weeds and invasive species and increase the risk of algae blooms: conditions that can hinder recreational activities like boating, fishing, and swimming. Vruwink recommended that people check out the Adopt-A-Drain program to learn some helpful tips on how to keep harmful debris out of waterways as rain and meltwater start to flow down streets.
“It’s really cool, because people can adopt a drain within their area, and it shows them how to clean up litter and helps keep sand, salt, leaves, grass clippings, and all that other debris out of your storm drains. It allows you to monitor your storm drain, clean it up, and then report back. At the end of the year, they’ll give reports and show how much salt or trash has been cleaned up from our streams.”
The program’s official website (mn.adopt-a-drain.org) shows that several drains in New London and Spicer are still waiting to be adopted, and it provides easy instructions on how to adopt a drain and keep it clear. Even people who do not live near a lake, river, or storm drain can impact the health of waterways by being conscientious about how they treat their environment.
“Everything is interconnected,” Vruwink explained. “How watersheds work is you have all this water that’s draining from high points, and then it’s going to meet in a lower point. Eventually, all that water is going to meet up somewhere.”
Picking up litter, applying chemicals around homes and businesses sparingly, and protecting storm drains are small steps people can take to promote water quality. Anyone interested in the health of local waterways and MFCRWD’s ongoing projects, such as the New London Hydrogen Sulfide Survey, the installation of rock arch rapids and renovation of ,a bridge on Lake Calhoun, and bank stabilization along County Ditch 47, can attend the Lakes Area Conference on March 24 at the Dethlefs Center in Spicer.
At the event, local experts will discuss how to protect and enhance area lakes, and representatives from the Minnesota Land Trust, DNR, MFCRWD, and other organizations will be present. Question and answer sessions will follow presentations on case studies, and updates on local concerns like conservation easements, native habitat restoration, the impacts of wake boats, and starry stonewart.
“It’s a great opportunity for lake residents and others who care about their lakes just to connect, ask questions, and then learn more about local efforts on how to protect our waterways,” Vruwink said.
To learn more about the watershed’s role in protecting waterways, people can visit mfcrow.org or call the MFCRWD office at (320) 796-0888. RSVPs for the event (preferably received by March 9) can be sent to ruth56288@gmail.com.
