Depending on where you live, if you’ve ever driven a snowy mountain road or parked your car after a winter storm, you’ve probably seen that familiar crust of salt left behind. It’s easy to think of road salt as just another part of winter, and a simple fix for icy conditions.
But that same salt, once it washes off our roads, has a far-reaching impact on the water we drink and the lakes or streams that we love.
Across the Northeast and beyond, road salt has become a threat to freshwater ecosystems. It seeps into wells and disrupts aquatic life. In New York State, scientists are warning that the overuse of salt could be creating “thousands of mini-Flints,” a public health crisis unfolding one winter at a time.
Today, we’re joined by Dr. Brendan Wiltse, Executive Director of the Lake George Association, the nation’s first lake conservation organization, founded in 1885. The LGA has been leading efforts to protect Lake George, known as the “Queen of American Lakes,” through science and community collaboration.
Dr. Wiltse’s decades of research in aquatic ecology and his leadership at the LGA shed light on how salt pollution, climate change, and infrastructure are interconnected, and what we can all do to protect our clean water.
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Lake George Association
Website: https://lakegeorgeassociation.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lakegeorgeassociation/