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Gem Lake News Page 5 of 6 <br /> <br /> <br />What is “Smart Salting”? <br /> <br />Smart salting is a new phrase that you may be hearing <br />these days. The concept refers to being thoughtful <br />about your use of winter salting in order to maintain <br />groundwater quality and help the environment. <br /> <br />According to the Vadnais Lake Area Water <br />Management Organization (VLAWMO), you can keep <br />outdoor surfaces, such as sidewalks, safe, while still <br />keeping groundwater clean. VLAWMO points out that <br />one teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes five gallons <br />of freshwater. Chlorides found in road salt are harmful <br />to wildlife, soil and groundwater. They also disrupt the <br />seasonal lake cycles that make our lakes enjoyable, <br />and corrode cars, bridges and streets. <br /> <br />Sometimes salt is needed to make sidewalks and <br />entryways safe for everyday use. When necessary, salt <br />can be used in a smarter way by adopting the motto: <br />Shovel, Select, Scatter, Sweep. <br /> <br />Shovel <br />Store shovels and tools in convenient locations before <br />winter weather strikes. Consider both a scoop and push <br />shovel for maximum preparedness. Use tools first: <br />shovel, scraper or broom. <br /> <br />Select <br />Select a de-icing product carefully, depending on <br />temperature, and allow for the expected melt time. Use <br />sand or grit for temporary traction. <br /> <br />Scatter <br />Use salt only where it’s critical, striving for 3” between <br />crystals. Plan ahead and practice to make smart <br />estimates quick and easy. Plan ahead for the space <br />you expect to maintain during the winter and keep a 12- <br />ounce cup in a convenient place with the salt storage. <br />Cover storage buckets or store salt indoors to keep it <br />dry. <br /> <br />Disperse salt and other de-icers evenly, without piles. <br />The goal is not to form a blanket, but to break the <br />bonds of ice/compacted snow. Once salt crystals <br />infiltrate the ice/compacted snow, a scraper can chop <br />and scrape the surface. Shoveling off ice chunks <br />reduces the need to re-apply. Salt that is diluted with <br />meltwater becomes less effective: re-freezing occurs <br />and raises the risk for falls. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />More product doesn’t mean faster results. The chemical <br />reaction depends on temperature. Excess product <br />remains in meltwater and runoff. Never apply de-icers <br />to dry pavement or loose snow. <br /> <br />Sweep <br />Sweep up extra salt, sand and grit. Salt and grit can be <br />re-used, but sand will likely lose its traction and should <br />be thrown in the trash. <br /> <br /> Hydrology 101 and Gem Lake’s <br />Well Situation (Continued from page 3) <br /> <br />Then things like Love Canal happened. (Love Canal <br />was a New York neighborhood near Niagara Falls that <br />became highly affected by chemical contamination.) <br />State and Federal Superfund Laws emerged in the <br />early 1980’s to hold polluters accountable for <br />contamination they release to the environment. There <br />are also state systems in place to address <br />contamination if the original polluter is not able to be <br />identified or they are no longer available to investigate <br />and clean-up the contamination. When a situation like <br />this happens the MPCA begins immediate testing to <br />ensure safe drinking water, to figure out where the <br />contamination came from and who may be responsible. <br /> <br />It is not uncommon to find slight contamination in water <br />wells located in an urban area with historic or current <br />industry present. Additional testing, monitoring and <br />analysis of data and historical records will be needed. <br />The process could take several years. More information <br />will be provided on the subject by the MPCA at the <br />Gem Lake City Council Meeting on January 18. <br />