Salt Pollution

2nd Annual Winter Road Maintenance Conference

AdkAction.org and the Adirondack Council co-sponsored a second inter-organizational conference on June 13th at Paul Smith's College to address the growing problem of winter road salt damage in the Adirondack Park.

Daniel Kelting, executive director of the Paul Smith's Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI), presented dramatic new research on chloride loading along road networks that abut watersheds in the Adirondack Park. His conclusions which have extraordinary statistical validity point to the use of salt on state roads as the single most important cause of high sodium and chloride levels in Park lakes. Dr. Kelting's abstract of his study can be viewed here, and the complete transcription of his presentation including the illustrations from his powerpoint slides can be found here. 

Dr. Kelting's presentation was a follow up to the important publication commissioned by AdkAction.org and released by Kelting and the AWI last year titled Review of Effects and Costs of Road De-icing with Recommendations for Winter Road Management in the Adirondack Park, which can be viewed by clicking here. 

To read the conference minutes click here. 

  Captions From Left: The Coordination subcommittee deliberates, Dr. Kelting presents his findings