Salty Side Effects
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Understanding the Ways Winter Salt Impacts Our Lakes
During the winter in Indiana, sodium chloride—commonly known as rock salt—is the go-to solution for keeping our roads, parking lots, sidewalks, and driveways safe. By lowering the freezing point of water, salt helps melt snow and ice, giving us peace of mind as we drive and walk.
While this practice plays an important role in public safety, salt use can also have damaging long-term effects on freshwater ecosystems.
Salt applied on land doesn’t stay put. Carried by rain or snowmelt, it eventually runs off into nearby waterways. Over time, this runoff increases chloride levels in our lakes and streams, impacting fish, mussels, aquatic insects, and other aquatic life—often reducing their ability to grow and reproduce.
This contamination can also disrupt the health of the lake itself. Once saltwater enters a lake, it sinks to the bottom, forming a dense layer that interferes with the lake’s natural mixing cycle. This salty layer contains little dissolved oxygen, making it difficult for aquatic life to survive.
According to the Salt Smart Collaborative, “A single teaspoon of salt is enough to contaminate five gallons of water. Once salt dissolves it does not degrade overtime. In fact, salt is very challenging and costly to remove from water, essentially making it a permanent pollutant.”
How can you help?
Use the Correct Amount
Have you ever noticed piles of leftover salt on the ground after snow and ice have melted away? That’s a sign that too much salt was applied.
A 12-ounce cup of salt is enough to treat approximately 500 square feet. Adding more salt does not make ice melt faster or more effectively.
Not to mention, using less salt saves you money!
Before applying salt, always remove as much snow as possible—salt works best on bare surfaces.
Choose Lake Friendly Alternatives
Salt is not the only option—here are some alternatives.
- Magnesium Chloride is gentler on the environment and works at lower temperatures compared to regular salt.
- Calcium magnesium acetate is considered one of the safest deicing options when it comes to the environment and water quality.
- Calcium chloride is considered safer than rock salt ; however, this material still contains harmful chloride.
- Sand, kitty litter, pebbles, or bird seed can help create traction without any chemicals or dangerous runoff.
No matter which deicing method you choose on your own property, the most important step is using it properly. Always follow application instructions, apply only the recommended amount, and sweep up any leftover material to reuse.
