Join the Salt Watch Program
Help protect our local waterways from chloride pollution! North St. Louis SWCD is proud to partner with the Izaak Walton League’s Salt Watch Program, a nationwide initiative empowering community to monitor and reduce excessive road salt use.
Why It Matters
When winter road salt washes into our lakes, rivers, and streams, it raises chloride levels, which can harm aquatic life and impact drinking water. Once in the water, salt doesn’t go away—it accumulates over time, making it a serious environmental concern.
How You Can Get Involved
Salt Watch makes it easy to take action:
- Test Your Local Water – Order a free Salt Watch kit to measure chloride levels in your nearby streams.
- Report Your Findings – Submit data to the national Salt Watch database and help track chloride pollution trends.
- Advocate for Smart Salting – Share results with your community and encourage best practices that reduce salt use while keeping roads safe.
Smart Salting Solutions
Many municipalities, businesses, and residents are adopting better winter maintenance strategies to reduce salt use while ensuring safety. Techniques like pre-wetting salt, applying brine solutions, and optimizing application rates can significantly cut down on chloride pollution.
Learn more about Smart Salting practices and how you can help at MPCA Smart Salting Trainings.
Become a Salt Watch Partner
We’re working with local communities, schools, and organizations to expand Salt Watch efforts in north St. Louis County. If your group wants to get involved, contact us at kaela@nslswcd.org to learn more about partnership opportunities!
By joining Salt Watch, you can make a real difference in protecting our freshwater resources. Every teaspoon of salt saved helps safeguard our lakes and streams for future generations!
Remember Shovel, Select, Scatter, Sweep & Save
