Winter in Colorado marks an exciting time of year. It means skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, snowshoeing, and ice fishing. But winter can also mean dangerous driving conditions.
What we do to help mitigate dangerous road conditions can take a toll on our natural resources if we are not careful. What we put on our roads and driveways today may end up in our lakes, rivers, and streams tomorrow. Salt, sand, and deicers make their way into storm sewer systems and travel into local water bodies. Concentrated doses of chloride-based deicers are potentially lethal to aquatic plants and invertebrates. The introduction of sand to waterways can increase turbidity and degrade both the aesthetics and quality of the water.
Consider these best practices during the winter to help reduce pollution in our local bodies of water.
- Shovel your driveway early during a snowfall and maintain it throughout. This will reduce the need for salt, sand, and other deicing agents by preventing ice from build-up on your driveway.
- Use deicers according to manufacturer’s recommendations and use salt and sand sparingly, and only as needed.
- Sweep up excess sand, salt, and deicers.
- Consider environmentally friendly alternatives like calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), or cracked corn for traction.
For more information on Stormwater, visit Greeleygov.com/Stormwater