2013-05-22 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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PRESS RELEASE Contact: Jessica Bromelkamp, Rice Creek Watershed District jbromelkamp @ricecreek.org or 763 - 398 -3073 RCWD Partners with Six Cities to Reduce Road Salt Application by 32% As the weather warms up, the last of the snow and ice continues to melt throughout the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. Snow and ice melt alone replenishes lakes and streams as well as groundwater aquifers. Unfortunately, the salt applied to roads, sidewalks, and parking lots throughout the winter also washes into Minnesota waterways during this time. Once in the water, there is no way to remove the chloride, and at high concentrations, it can harm aquatic insects, fish and plant life. As a result, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is developing chloride standards for lakes. The Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) has been working to monitor chloride as well as provide winter maintenance workshops for municipalities, businesses, school districts, churches and private landowners for the past few years. A very unique partnership was spearheaded by the City of Centerville, after attending a workshop, to help incorporate recommended best management practices for winter road maintenance. The City of Centerville partnered with Lino Lakes, Hugo, Circle Pines, Lexington, and Columbus to apply for a RCWD cost -share grant in the amount of $65,000 to help offset the cost of purchasing shared anti -icing equipment and providing training for city staff on best management practices for salt application. The anti -icing equipment was used to apply liquid salt -brine to 245 miles of paved roadway in advance of winter storms — reducing the need for salt when the storms arrived. The training for plow drivers reinforced the importance of using just enough salt to maintain safe roads while minimizing the impacts of chloride on lakes and streams. The results are in and for the 2012 -2013 winter season, participating cities reduced their salt usage by a total of 528 tons (combined), a 32% reduction. This change will save participating cities money and protect our waterways from increased exposure to chloride. Long -term operation costs and program maintenance will be covered by participating cities. Money saved through more efficient salt application is expected to pay for most of these costs moving forward. This RCWD cost -share project represents the kind of creative problem - solving, partnership, and commitment that is needed to reduce the amount of chloride flowing into Minnesota lakes and streams. We would like to commend the Cities of Centerville, Lino Lakes, Hugo, Circle Pines, Lexington, and Columbus for their leadership on this important work. 58