Road salt may be damaging Chazy Lake

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG
Staff Writer

June 30, 2008 04:00 am

— DANNEMORA -- Winter driving in the North Country is often problematic, and many drivers are glad that road salt can help them manage the slick rural roadways.
But the layers of salt can wreak havoc on the surrounding environment, and a local historian says it's having a direct impact on Chazy Lake.
Dannemora Town Historian Lorraine McIntosh has asked officials to look into the town's use of road salt, which a recent study found is likely causing an increase of chloride deposits in the lake.
Citing the 2007 Chazy Lake report of the Adirondack Lake Assessment Program, which was established by the Residents' Committee to Protect the Adirondacks and the Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith's College, McIntosh said the increase is alarming and needs to be addressed.
SAMPLES GATHERED
For the last four years, she said, volunteers have gone out on the lake about five times each year to gather samples from Halfway Point, Seine Bay and South Inlet.
The samples were later brought to the labs at Paul Smith's, where scientists assessed the water quality, testing pH and alkalinity levels and looking for the presence of chlorides, calcium concentrations, phosphorus levels and nitrates.
Though Michael DeAngelo, an environmental chemist and executive director of the Adirondack Watershed Institute who prepared the report, felt that the four years worth of data does not show a significant trend, he noted that the increased levels suggest there could be a problem.
DeAngelo said the data shows a dramatic increase, indicating that the conductivity level has increased 40 percent while the chloride level has more than doubled in concentration since officials began studying the lake's water quality.
"This seems to suggest that there is a road-salt problem for Chazy Lake. The lake is receiving additional quantities of road salt, and this should be looked at more closely as this could mean that other materials are running into the lake as well," he wrote in the report.
He said the primary sources of chloride increases in Adirondack lakes are typically from road salt or wastewater, usually from faulty septic systems, but he suggested officials take a closer look at the current uses of the substance around the area.
CONCERNS
The town Highway Department uses a mix of ore sand and deicing salt to maintain area roads, though Route 374 -- portions of which run in close proximity to the lake -- is maintained by the state.
"I feel that it's important to follow up with DOT about this," said McIntosh, who noted the lake is otherwise considered "fairly healthy," though many residents and officials are concerned about the growing milfoil problem in the area as well.
"This is really concerning. The water quality has decreased, and there's an incredible amount of salt in it. It's disturbing because we have such a wonderful lake here."
McIntosh said she's also worried about area residents, mostly the summer occupants, who draw their water from the lake, wondering whether the increasing salt concentrations could have a lasting impact on their health.
WILDLIFE
Chazy Lake resident Judy LaPoint said she's slightly concerned about the chloride-deposit increase and whether it could harm the lake's fish and area wildlife.
Like many others, she's involved with Chazy Lake Neighbors Helping Neighbors. That organization is looking into the milfoil problem and trying to enhance area wildlife populations, like the loons, which are starting to flourish after residents set up "loon nest" platforms where the birds have settled in to give birth.
"The salt is a problem, but the milfoil is a bigger one "¦ I just hope we can keep our lake clean."
The increased chlorides can hurt the lake's vegetation and fish species and can also impact the surrounding landscape by drying out and killing trees, grass and shrubs.
In the report, DeAngelo said that if the chloride levels continue to rise, they can "alter the distribution and abundance of aquatic plant and animal species."
Though the amount of chlorides are rising, Department of Environmental Conservation Fisheries biologist William Schoch said the lake's fish would not be adversely affected anytime in the near future.
"I would not expect to see any biological changes from that concentration," he said, noting that any changes would happen at much higher levels -- about 14 times what the report documented.
Town Supervisor Barbara Douglas said the increase "is a concern, but as far as how to control it, we don't have an answer at this time."
She said there's no clear solution, especially since the state is involved with the salting near the lake, and not having roads salted would endanger lives during the winter.
But, she said, "we want to preserve our lake as much as possible."
Douglas said the Town Council is dedicated to preserving the lake, which she called an asset to the community.
"It's not a real worry at this time, but it bears watching. We certainly want to watch it and keep our eyes on it."
avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com

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