How winter road salt impacts our aquatic ecosystems in Chicago - WBEZ Chicago

Winter Weather Illinois — A man rides his bicycle along the lake shore. Strong winds and icy roads made for a difficult commute.

Winter Weather Illinois — A man rides his bicycle along the lake shore. Strong winds and icy roads made for a difficult commute.

How winter road salt impacts our aquatic ecosystems

Road salt, meant to clear roads and sidewalks of ice and snow, often ends up in our local waterways, where it raises chloride levels and can harm aquatic life. Host: Melba Lara; Reporter: Indira Khera

A man rides his bicycle along the lake shore. Strong winds and icy roads made for a difficult commute.

Nam Y. Huh

By Indira Khera

Road salt, meant to clear roads and sidewalks of ice and snow, often ends up in our local waterways, where it raises chloride levels and can harm aquatic life. The Illinois Riverwatch is tackling this problem through citizen science, training anyone to monitor those levels.

Danelle Haake, director of the Illinois Riverwatch, spoke with WBEZ’s Melba Lara on All Things Considered.

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