New England Streams Impacted by High Salt Concentrations (Road-salt harms rivers' biodiversity)

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Salt Levels a Concern for Freshwater Plants and Animals

University of New Hampshire researchers estimate that more than 10 percent of streams in the Merrimack River watershed, which covers areas of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, are impacted by high chloride concentrations as a result of road salt applied during winter. Salt concentrations can be highest in the summer, raising concerns about harm to freshwater plants, invertebrates, amphibians, and fish.

“People place road salt, which consists mostly of sodium chloride -- table salt -- on our roads, sidewalks, and driveways to improve driving and walking conditions throughout the winter. As you know, salt dissolves very easily. Much of this enters groundwater, then slowly drains into rivers, which' [..]

Source: Research News-article published by Lori Wright, NH Agricultural Experiment Station, July 23, 2018.


Read the entire news-article here: https://colsa.unh.edu/nhaes/article/2018/07/salt



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