A Salty Subject

More and more environmental groups are making noise about the devastating impact winter salting has on the environment which is raising awareness and forcing lawmakers to look at alternative solutions.  In Canada alone, the country applies five million tonnes (over 110 billion pounds) of salt during an average winter.  This salt contaminates ground and freshwater, degrades habitat, alters aquatic ecosystems and causes corrodes critical infrastructure such as water pipes.

The massive increase to the salt content of soil located next to roads affects roadside vegetation; often killing the vegetation and impeding its ability to grow back.  Unfortunately, many invasive plants are well-adapted to high levels of salt, leading to a greater potential for invasive species to take over and spread along roadside communities. Researchers in Massachusetts found that road salt use directly aided the spread of invasive phragmites along the Kampoosa Bog in Stockbridge. 

Many wild animals such as moose, deer, cattle, woodchucks, squirrels and mountain goats require essential elements such as sodium in the springtime for bone, muscle and other growth.  Salt deposits exacerbate roadside collisions as the wild salt-seekers are drawn from miles away to lick the mass salt deposits left near highways and roads during the spring.

People living in snowy climates are well away of the devastating effects salt has on their vehicles, perhaps not on what can occur within their own bodies.  Excess salt can contaminate ground and freshwater; water that we drink and use to prepare food.  Not all the salt can be filtered out of the water and can pose health risks to those who require sodium-reduced diets or those with hypertension.

High levels of chloride in water can corrode plumbing and leach harmful metals into drinking water, posing health risks, particularly for people using well water. Corroded water pipes lead to breaks which can cause disruption in service and even flooding.  Not to mention that the elevated chloride levels can also corrode appliances using water such as dishwashers and washing machines.

Sustainable alternatives are being implemented in both Canada and the United States.  Many Canadian municipalities are using a more environmentally friendly de-icing agents such as a mixture of beet juice and salt.  Beet juice works in the same was as road salt, but the beet juice stays on the road longer, so it is not only effective, but requires fewer applications.  In Wisconsin, cheese brine; an industrial byproduct from the dairy industry that is normally dumped as waste, is being combined with salt to create a unique deicer.

More and more people are experimenting with sustainable salt solutions and hopefully in the near future less salt will be used.

Read More

Heavy Rains No Match for Trash Skimmers

In the 1970’s a group of private property owners dammed the Middle Raccoon River to form Lake Panorama.  When the river rises, either due to heavy rain or snow melt not only does the excess water drain into the lake, but so does the debris the rushing waters carry.  The debris mostly consists of organic material such as leaves, logs and branches which can damage boats and piers as well as cause navigational hazards.

In the 1990’s barriers were put in place to stop the debris from entering the lake, but not all debris is captured as openings for boat traffic allow the debris to escape.  In 1999, the lake association purchased an aquatic trash skimmer to collect the debris from the barrier as well as coves around the lake where the escaped debris can settle.

We are happy to say, the lake association celebrated 2020 with a new and improved aquatic trash skimmer.  This new skimmer holds three times the debris and is quite a bit faster.  The additional speed is welcome as boat can be deployed and collect escaped debris before it can scatter all over the lake.

The first machine will be retained to use as a backup.

River Plants Mitigate Flooding

Common practice is to remove river plants to prevent the slowing of the water flow and to prevent flooding during high rainfall events, but according to one research scientist the vegetation can act as a natural buffer.

She believes that the plant removal not only threatens the a naturally balanced water level but threatens a stream’s biodiversity.  Other researchers have noticed that plant cover led to more constant water level and flow regime. 

At high flows, the vegetation is pushed to the side or even dislodged, keeping an open lane in the middle for high-flow traffic. During periods of low flows, aquatic plants gradually clog up the stream, and thereby prevent the water from draining quickly.

Read More

Record High Water Levels Threaten Shoreline

In 2013, Lake Michigan lake levels bottomed out after a 15-year span of lows that was the longest in recorded history.  Now, the high-water is sending the roughly 4.2 million people who live within two miles of the coast scrambling.

2019 which was the wettest on record in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin, and precipitation was well above average for every other state and province in the watershed. Last year, Lakes Erie and Ontario each broke record high marks. Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron each came within about an inch of record highs set more than 30 years ago in the mid-1980s.

The 10,000-mile Great Lakes shoreline winds around eight U.S. states and Canada. Across the region, contractors are booking into the fall to move or demolish homes, or repair and install seawalls, revetments, rip-rap and other rock armor that’s being used to protect beaches and near-shore structures from the relentless waves.

But more than just beach homes are being affected, coastal towns are facing the potential impact on tourism from sand loss and event cancellations due to the rising water.  In Michigan alone, the 100 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day can bring year-long prosperity to the state’s shorelines in the form of the $15.4 billion water tourism and recreation industry that generates an estimated $1 billion in tax revenues.

Michigan’s coastal towns so far project about $63 million in damage from high water. That figure grows when considering costs to state systems, like roads and parks, that also are threatened by erosion. Communities collectively face up to an estimated half-billion or more in losses when potential lost tourist revenue enters the equation.

Read More

Steps to Actively Prevent the Spread of AIS

When winter arrives and lakes freeze over, the true test of your love of fishing becomes apparent.  Winter sportsmen are out in their shanties, drilling holes in the ice in the hopes of reeling in the "big one."  Those of us who live in areas of frozen lakes know that fish tales do not end when the boats are put away.

While these fishermen take to the lakes though they need to be aware that the threat of the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) does not go away.  Eurasian watermilfoil which is capable of living and growing under the ice while other invasive species may simply be dormant, they can easily be spread from one water body to another.

There are steps that can be taken to help prevent the spread:

• Thoroughly inspect and clean all fishing equipment, line, hooks, nets, scoops and augers after each use.
• Drain all water from equipment and containers containing fish prior to leaving the ice.
• If you are using live bait, buy it locally from a licensed bait dealer and dispose of any unused bait properly.
• Pack out your waste from the ice and dispose of it in appropriate waste containers.
• Dry all your equipment for 5 or more days or disinfect it with an appropriate disinfection solution.

Do you part to stop the spread.

Environmental Charities - Put your Money to Work

With so many options for charities to donate to (Forbes reports that there are more than 1.5 million nonprofits) it's worth sitting down to think about which way to go.  Don’t forget to consider donating locally, but here are several options environmental charities to consider.

Union of Concerned Scientists 
Our scientists and engineers develop and implement innovative, practical solutions to some of our planet’s most pressing problems—from combating global warming and developing sustainable ways to feed, power, and transport ourselves, to fighting misinformation, advancing racial equity, and reducing the threat of nuclear war.

Natural Resources Defense Council
The Natural Resources Defense Council works to safeguard the earth - its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends.
 
 

Environmental Working Group
The Environmental Working Group’s mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. With breakthrough research and education, we drive consumer choice and civic action.

Greenpeace Fund
Greenpeace is a diverse, multi-cultural movement of ordinary individuals determined to bring about the extraordinary change necessary to realize a greener, more peaceful future. Greenpeace organizers, researchers, volunteers and members work in solidarity to protect the environment and promote ambitious solutions to the critical issues we face as a global community. 

Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth strives for a more healthy and just world.  Together we speak truth to power and expose those who endanger the health of people and the planet for corporate profit. We organize to build long-term political power and campaign to change the rules of our economic and political systems that create injustice and destroy nature.

Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance is a growing network of farmers, foresters, communities, scientists, governments, environmentalists, and businesses dedicated to conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods. We are an international non-profit organization working to build strong forests, healthy agricultural landscapes, and thriving communities through creative, pragmatic collaboration.

Earthjustice

Today’s environmental challenges are greater than ever. But we live in a country of strong environmental laws—and Earthjustice holds those who break our nation’s laws accountable for their actions. Earthjustice has been the legal backbone for thousands of organizations, large and small.

Ocean Conservancy
Ocean Conservancy is working with you to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges.  Together, we create science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it.

Earth Island Institute
Earth Island is the place to go if you have a great idea to protect the Earth and need a place to make it happen. We provide comprehensive fiscal sponsorship and project support to a vibrant network of activists and social entrepreneurs. We recognize and support the next generation of young leaders, and inspire people to get involved and take action.

The Sierra Club Foundation
The Sierra Club Foundation promotes climate solutions, conservation, and movement building through a powerful combination of strategic philanthropy and grassroots advocacy. The Foundation is the fiscal sponsor of Sierra Club’s charitable environmental programs.

American Rivers
The mission of American Rivers is to protect wild rivers, restore damaged rivers and conserve clean water for people and nature.  We combine national advocacy with field work in key river basins to deliver the greatest impact.

Trust for Public Land
At the Trust for Public Land, we don't just save land—we save land for people to enjoy, from neighborhood parks to national parks. We depend on the ongoing support of individuals to make sure our work carries on well into the future.  Our mission is to create parks and protect land for people, ensuring healthy, livable communities for generations to come.