The Effects of Road Salt

THE FROG BLOG

The Effects of Road Salt

This winter has been a harsh one and tons of rock salt have been spread over the nation's roads and highways to melt the snow and ice.  Rock salt, or road salt, is inexpensive and it works.  Rock salt is sodium chloride, a natural product that is basically the same as the salt on your dinner table.  However, problems arise when the concentration of sodium chloride becomes too high and the environment is adversely effected. 

The use of road salt to clear ice from the streets began, as an experiment, in the mid twentieth century.  In fact, as recently as the 1940s, only about 5,000 tons were used across the county to control ice on the roads.  These days, however, 10 to 20 tons can be spread across the county in a given season.  Sodium chloride is water soluble, meaning it dissolves into a solution.  Hence, as the snow and ice melt, the road salt is dissolved into it.  The dissolved road salt does not just go away, and therein lies the problem.  The sodium chloride stays in solution and is carried with the melted snow and ice to wherever it runs off to, be it into the soil, the storm drains, or local streams, rivers and other bodies of water, such as your pond.

Unfortunately, the same product that makes our roads safer, can cause environmental damage.  Those of us who live in the Midwest, know the damage the road salt can do.  In the spring, have you ever noticed the tree-lawn grass is brown near the curb?  The dissolved road salt that is absorbed into the ground can cause dieback, interfere with germination, or kill plants altogether.  The same is true of aquatic plants.  When aquatic plants, with lower salt tolerance die back, more salt tolerant species, including nuisance vegetation such as cattails and Phragmites, can take over.  The excess salt in the water can also cause problems for other aquatic plant and animal life.  For example, the increased salinity in the water may decrease the micro-invertebrate population upon which the higher organisms feed, which disrupts the food chain.  Also, the increased salinity of the water can decrease the dissolved oxygen in the water which affects all plants and animals living therein and may cause eutrophication. 

Road salt is necessary to keep the streets clear for public safety.  There are available alternatives, but, unfortunately, many of these are expensive.  Over time, however, this may change and other alternatives may become available.  In the meantime, individuals can take steps to mitigate the use of rock salt.  If you are using rock salt, it works best on a thin layer of snow or ice.  Don't assume using more salt will melt more snow.  Shovel as much of the snow as possible before putting the salt down and use it sparingly.  Also, homeowners might try using sand or kitty litter, when possible, to help prevent slipping.  There are several chemical treatments available as well, be sure to read the labels carefully and apply as directed.  One homeowner's efforts may seem like a drop on the bucket.  But, when many people do a little things to help the environment, big results can be achieved. 

Here's to open waters!

~ The Frogger Blogger
 
References:

http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/water/discovery-watersheds/news/2014/sidewalk-salt-and-stormwater
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/7229424/#.Uv4xcCKYbcs
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_green_lantern/2010/02/salting_the_earth.html
http://news.discovery.com/autos/salt-roads-environment-technology1.htm
http://www.stormh2o.com/SW/Articles/8162.aspx
http://www.stormh2o.com/SW/Articles/216.aspx
http://www.newyorkwater.org/downloadedarticles/environmentanimpact.cfm
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/education/envirothon/salt.html
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/weymouth/2012/12/salt_in_the_wound_why_you_shou.html
http://www.caryinstitute.org/reprints/report_road_salt_2010.pdf
http://water.greenventure.ca/road-salts-alternatives

Leeches Suck!

Leeches Suck!                                        By Tony Frazer

It’s a beautiful day by your lake or pond and the cool waters entice you in for a swim. The water is cool, clear and refreshing. You float on your back looking to the sky and think “This is the life”. You swim to shore, dry off and you see what looks like a leaf stuck to your foot. But it’s not a leaf. It’s a LEECH! AHHHHHHH!

Leeches can conjure up a severe case of the heebie jeebies, but are rarely cause for alarm.

Leeches are segmented worms that belong to the phylum Annelida and comprise the subclass Hirudinea. Leeches are hermaphrodites containing both male and female reproductive organs. Oh yeah they also feed on blood. AHHHHHH!

If you have leeches it’s not the end of the world. Leeches can be controlled naturally by stocking predatory feeders like Bass and Bluegill. They can also be removed by making your own coffee can trap. Take a coffee can and poke some holes with a nail or screwdriver in the lid and sides. Weight it down with some rocks and put some raw meat inside. Tie a string to your trap and sink it in your pond. The Leeches will come to feed on the raw meat. Check your trap daily, remove and destroy leeches. Re-bait and reset your trap. Keep trapping till the numbers dwindle to zero.

Now back to the opening scenario, you have a leech on your foot. After feeding, the leech will detach and depart, which may be anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours or more. Ewww. Let’s get that sucker off. Unlike the movies, cigars and salt are not the preferred method. These will cause the leech to quickly detach; however, it will also regurgitate its stomach contents into the wound. The vomit may carry disease, and thus increase the risk of infection. Yuck! The recommended method of removal is using a fingernail or other flat, blunt object to break the seal of the oral sucker and detaching its jaws. Then flick the leech away and do your best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation. “Hasta la vista….leech!”

After removal, clean the wound with soap and water, then bandage. Bleeding may continue for some time, due to the anticoagulant in the leech's saliva. Bleeding time will vary, with location, from a few hours to three days. Applying pressure can reduce bleeding, although blood loss from a single bite is not dangerous. The wound normally itches as it heals, but should not be scratched, as this may complicate healing and introduce other infections. An antihistamine will reduce itching, and applying a cold pack can reduce pain or swelling.

Some people can suffer severe allergic reactions from leech bites that require urgent medical care. Symptoms include red blotches or an itchy rash over the entire body, swelling around the lips or eyes, feeling faint or dizzy, and difficulty breathing.

Don’t let leeches suck the enjoyment out of your pond. A good management plan can keep them in check.

 

*A big Thank You!  to Aquatic Specialist Tony Frazer for this week's blog post! 

~The Frogger Blogger