Assessing the Impacts of Urban Road Salting on Tributaries of the Chippewa River near Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Abstract

Road salting is a necessary means of regulating road conditions in cold weather regions where winter precipitation is prolific. In Wisconsin, over 1 billion pounds of salt are applied to roadways during each winter season (Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 2011). Once applied, salt can utilize a number of different pathways to enter local streams during periods of increased runoff and can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems.