Seasonal and Site Fluctuations of Chloride Levels in the Saratoga

Lake Watershed

Environmental StudiesCapstone Project 2007

Chemical composition of salt Chemical composition of salt (NaCl)(NaCl)

Used as a deicer on roadways Used as a deicer on roadways (NaCl, KCl, MgCl, CaCl) (NaCl, KCl, MgCl, CaCl) (RiverSides, (RiverSides, 2005)2005)

What is Salt?What is Salt?

(www.rbwm.gov.uk, www.newyorkwater.org, www.earthhopenetwork.net, www.gurnee.il.us)

Impacts of Salt on the Environment

Impacts on aquatic communitiesInvertebrates and plants

Impacts on terrestrial communitiesCan affect areas up to 1 km away from roadways (Habron et al., 2004)

Colonization of invasive species Impacts on water

Affects smaller waterways most(Trombulak and Frissell, 2000)

Impacts of Salt on Humans

Impacts on humans debatable Can’t remove salt at water treatment

plant → hypertension(Special Report 235, 1991)

Metal Corrosion Property Damage Trace metals (Hg, As, Cr, Pb)

(Fischel, 2001)

D

D

D

DRT 29

RT

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RT

9N

RT

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RT 9P

I 87RT 43

RT

47

RT

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RT 63

RT 45

RT 423

DANIELS RD

CRESCENT AVE

WE

ST

AV

E

RA

MPRT

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I 87

RT 29

RT 67

RT

67

Kristina Connolly and Ashley HellmanES CapstoneSpring 2007

Main Kayaderosseras

Upper Kayaderosseras

Clover Mill Creek

Lake Lonely Outlet

Saratoga Lake WatershedSampling Sites

Poe

County Highway 22

Wan

er

Kay

dero

ss A

venu

e E

ast

Vis

ta

Aerial Photo of Lake Lonely Outlet Collection Site

Hypothesis

We anticipated differences in chloride & conductivity levels from:

Upstream & Downstream

Site to Site Season to Season

Sampling

Four sampling dates: 2/24/07, 3/3/07, 3/24/07, 4/6/07

Conductivity measurements for all four dates

Water samples on 2/24/07 and 4/6/07

Conductivity & Chloride Explained

Conductivity: a measure of the ability of a given substance to conduct electric current (www.dictionary.com)

0

50

100

150

200

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UpperKayaderosseras

Clover Mill Creek MainKayaderosseras

Lake LonelyOutlet

Ch

lori

de

(p

pm

)C

on

du

ctiv

ity

(µS

)

Chloride

Conductivity

Comparison of Average Upstream and Downstream Conductivity Levels for Each

Site

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

UpperKayaderosseras

Clover Mill Creek MainKayaderosseras

Lake LonelyOutlet

Co

nd

uct

ivit

y (µ

S)

UpstreamDownstream

Across Date Comparison of Average Conductivity Levels by Site

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

UpperKayaderosseras

Clover MillCreek

MainKayaderosseras

Lake LonelyOutlet

Co

nd

uct

ivit

y (µ

S)

2/24/2007

3/3/2007

3/24/2007

4/6/2007

D

D

D

DRT 29

RT

9

RT

9N

RT

59

RT 9P

I 87RT 43

RT

47

RT

50

RT 63

RT 45

RT 423

DANIELS RD

CRESCENT AVE

WE

ST

AV

E

RA

MPRT

50

I 87

RT 29

RT 67

RT

67

Kristina Connolly and Ashley HellmanES CapstoneSpring 2007

Main Kayaderosseras

Upper Kayaderosseras

Clover Mill Creek

Lake Lonely Outlet

Saratoga Lake WatershedSampling Sites

D

D

D

D

Land Use Types

Water

Low Intensity Development

High Intensity Development

Undeveloped

Agriculture

Land Uses in the Saratoga Lake Watershed

Kristina Connolly and Ashley HellmanES CapstoneSpring 2007

Upper Kayaderosseras

Clover Mill Creek

Main Kayaderosseras

Lake Lonely Outlet

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D

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Population Density by Square Mile in the Saratoga Lake Watershed

Kristina Connolly and Ashley HellmanES CapstoneSpring 2007

Population Density

Number of People Per Square Mile

24.7 - 25.0

25.1 - 50.0

50.1 - 100.0

100.1 - 500.0

500.1 - 1000.0

1000.1 - 21150.0

Upper Kayaderosseras

Clover Mill Creek Lake Lonely Outlet

Main Kayaderosseras

What it means… The Saratoga Lake Watershed and the

Future• Highest levels in Lake Lonely Outlet

large roads

• Lowest levels in Upper Kayaderosserassmall roads

• Use data as a component of long-term consistent data for future studies

• Political officials in Saratoga County can use data for future road salt debates

Acknowledgments

• Skidmore College• Environmental Studies Program• Water Resources Initiative • Karen Kellogg, Judy Halstead, Bob Turner,

Bob Jones, Cathy Gibson, and Conor Taff• Jim Turner (for the use of his land)• Dominick Gabriel and Peter van Kuren• Our Parents

References2005. The Weight of Evidence. RiverSides: Where Water Quality Begins.

http://www.riversides.org/index.php?cat=3&page1=8&page2=36

Committee on the Comparative Costs of Rock Salt and Calcium Magnesium Acetate (CMA) for Highway Deicing. 1991. Highway Deicing: Comparing Salt and Calcium Magnesium Acetate. Special Report 235, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C., USA.

Demers, C. L., and R. W. Sage Jr. 1989. Effects of Road Deicing Salt on Chloride Levels in Four Adirondack Streams. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 49: 369-373.

Habron, G.B., M.D. Kaplowitz, and R.L. Levine. 2004. A Soft Systems Approach to Watershed Management: A Road Salt Case Study. Environmental Management 33(6):776-787.

Trombulak, S. C., and C. A. Frissell. 1999. Review of Ecological Effects of Roads on Terrestrial and Aquatic Communities. Conservation Biology 14(1): 18-30.

www.dictionary.com, www.earthhopenetwork.net, www.gurnee.il.us,www.newyorkwater.org, www.rbwm.gov.uk