Review of Effects and Costs of Road De-icing with Recommendations for Winter Road Management in the Adirondack Park Prepared by Daniel L. Kelting Executive Director and Corey L. Laxson Research Associate Adirondack Watershed Institute Paul Smith's College Routes 86 & 30 P.O. Box 265 Paul Smiths, NY 12970 Adirondack Watershed Institute Report # AWI2010-01 February 2010 Underwritten and distributed by AdkAction.org, a citizen-led political action committee dedicated to preserving and improving the Adirondacks www.AdkAction.org /
[email protected] / PO Box 655, Saranac Lake NY 12983 • this page was intentionally left blank • Acknowledgements We gratefully acknowledge the membership of ADKACTION.org for their financial support of this project and for providing us with the opportunity to conduct this important review and synthesis. • this page was intentionally left blank • Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 1 1.1 Environmental and Infrastructural Effects of Road 1 Salt 1.2 Recommended Actions and Best Management 4 Practices 2. Introduction 6 3. Characteristics of Deicers 10 4. Deicer Use in North America 14 5. Cost of Deicers 18 6. Road Salt Effects on the Environment 25 6.1 Soils 25 6.2 Groundwater 29 6.3 Surface Water 31 6.3.1 Running Water 33 6.3.2 Standing Water 34 6.4 Vegetation 35 6.4.1 Spread of Halophytic and Non-native Plant 37 Species 6.5 Aquatic Biota 37 6.5.1 Laboratory Studies 38 6.5.2 Field Studies 40 6.6 Wildlife 41 6.6.1 Amphibians 41 6.6.2 Mammals 42 6.6.3 Birds 42 6.7 Use and Fate of Ferrocyanides 43 7.