Background
Road salts are harmful to the environment when they end up in water bodies such as lakes and rivers – this can happen when roads or walkways are next to slopes and snowmelt runs off into the water, or indirectly through stormwater management systems. The rock salts alter water chemistry, making it potentially toxic to aquatic plant life, fish, invertebrates, birds and mammals that live in or consume the water directly, or consume species that directly interact with the chloride ions in road salts. In addition, communities that drink groundwater – including Region of Waterloo – can be impacted by salt.
University of Waterloo has obligations within the Regional Source Water Protection Plan to make efforts to minimize salt runoff within the local watershed. Measuring how much salt is applied across the campus is an important input indicator as to the success of its salt management initiatives over time.
When snow falls on walking paths and roads that have already been salted, the salt mixes with the snow as it gets plowed. Understanding how salt mixes in the snow would help with identifying strategies of where to place plowed snow, and how to minimize the mixing.
This project relates to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 14, clean water and sanitation, and life below water.
Scope of Work Could Include
- Collect samples of snow from different areas (snow banks, fresh snow, etc.) and measure chloride levels.
- Research any best practices from other large institutions with salt management strategies.
- Make new recommendations on how the University of Waterloo can manage snow.
Resources
- Historical chloride content in snow data is available from Field Ecology (ENVS 200) through their annual snow lab.
Stakeholders
- Sustainability Office
- Plant Operations
- Ecology Lab
Proposed Deliverables
The details of the deliverables are flexible but must meet the requirements set out by the course instructor. Some proposed deliverables include:
- A work plan early in the term outlining key milestones and responsibilities.
- Updates on progress at least once during the term.
- A final report that includes outcomes of the project.
- A final meeting to review the outcomes of the report and answer questions.