Monitoring Winter Salt use in Commercial Parking Lots to Understand the Source and Find Solutions

Session: 58. - Cities on the Shore: Urbanization as a Growing Threat to Nearshore Ecosystem Health

David Lembcke, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, [email protected]
Chandler Eves, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, [email protected]

Abstract

Winter salt (chloride) is rapidly emerging as a leading concern for the ecological health of many of Ontario’s freshwater streams and rivers.  While there has been some headway in the development and adoption of Best Management Practices by some sectors, in the private sector there has been little progress in changing salt application practices.  In an effort to understand drivers of winter maintenance practices and quantify annual salt application amounts, a commercial parking lot was monitored over the course of four winters.  Results highlight the role these parking lots play as sources of salt, but also served to highlight where simple solutions as well as barriers may lie.  In an effort to break down one such barrier additional monitoring was undertaken to record surface friction as it relates to various salt application rates.  The intent was to help winter maintenance contractors make informed decisions around appropriate application rates but also served to clearly highlight the influence of perceived liability when it comes to salt application.  To address the increasing salt concentrations that are being seen in many of our urban rivers it is critical to not only identify sources of chloride but the drivers of over application as well.                  

1. Keyword
environmental contaminants

2. Keyword
management

3. Keyword
Lake Simcoe

4. Additional Keyword
Winter Salt Use

5. Additional Keyword
Commercial Parking lots

6. Additional Keyword
Urbanization