Water Quality Impacts
lakeContaminates from road salt enter water resources by infiltration to groundwater, runoff to surface water and through stormdrains. The chloride discharged into these waters remains in solution and is not subject to any significant natural removal methods; only dilution can reduce its concentration. During winter and spring and during times of low flow in the summer and fall, chloride levels can exceed 800mg/L, while natural background levels fall within the range of 1-10mg/L. The accumulation and persistence of chloride poses a risk to the water quality and the plants, animals, and humans who depend upon it.
Water contaminated with NaCl creates a higher water density and will settle at the deepest part of the water body where current velocities are low such as in ponds and lakes. This can lead to a chemical stratification which can impede turnover and mixing, preventing the dissolved oxygen within the upper layers of the water from reaching the bottom layers and nutrients within the bottom layers from reaching the top layers. This leads to the bottom layer of the water body becoming void of oxygen and unable to support aquatic life.