December 2023
Backyard Conversation
Connecting Community + Conservation
Welcome to the Backyard Conversation! Each month we'll be sharing a conservation topic from a more personal viewpoint for our readers. To make this successful, I want to hear feedback from you! I'll include a poll at the bottom regarding our topic and share links to some of our partner organizations with similar messages. So, let's get to it!
Salt Smart
Proper Salt Management Protects Water Quality
Road salt and deicers are necessary for public safety in the winter. Without it, we wouldn't be able to safely drive or walk! However, many freshwater systems across the country are becoming contaminated with chloride. Chloride comes from road salt and deicers and reaches peak concentrations in the winter and early spring = same time as salt usage peaks. Other sources of chloride include water softeners, fertilizers (like Potassium Chloride - KCl), and dust suppressants.
How Road Salt Affects Water Quality

Just one teaspoon of salt contains enough chloride to pollute five gallons of water. The chloride from salt is virtually impossible to remove from a waterbody once it is there. This means that our waterways are becoming saltier over time. This is a problem because many aquatic species are very sensitive to salt concentrations (aka salinity) and may not survive in saltier conditions. It's important that we take steps to reduce our salt usage in order to reduce the salt runoff at home that enters our waterways.

Besides home, the State of Ohio Department of Transportation has increased the use of salt brine before a storm in place of traditional road salt. Salt brine is a diluted liquid form of road salt that works faster, saves money, and stays in place compared to road salt.
Salt Smart Tips

The Truth About Salt
  • There is no such thing as environmentally friendly salt or deicer. Currently, there are NO regulations that require truth in labeling within the salt and deicing industry. All such chemicals cause damage to our waterbodies, plants, wildlife, and infrastructure, and should be used as little as possible.

Practice Shovel, Scrape, Repeat
  • The best way to remove snow and ice is the old-fashioned way: clear the snow and scrape or chisel away the ice. Good, old-fashioned hard work.
  • Avoid ice buildup by shoveling early and often and redirecting downspouts away from hard surfaces.

When to Use Salt
  • If it's a warm day and the sidewalk is wet, don't use any deicers. The sun is already doing the job for you, and throwing salt onto ice isn't going to hurry the process; it's just going to send deicer down storm drains.
  • If you must apply salt or deicer, apply the product on ice only; do not apply to dry pavement.
  • Double check the label on your salt or deicer product to make sure it will work before you apply it. Rock salt doesn't work below 15 degrees F.

How Much Salt to Use
  • More salt does not equal faster melting - just more pollution and wasted money.
  • Shoot for a 30 inch spread between salt granules. For $10-$20, a hand spreader can make the job easier and more accurate. To be more exact, try to apply no more than 1 pound per 250 square feet of pavement. Pro-tip: a regular-size coffee mug typically holds about 1 pound of salt.

Use Sand When it's Too Cold for Salt
  • Use sand when it's too cold for salt to work. Sprinkle just enough to provide traction on walkways. Sweep up any excess after the ice melts and dispose of in the trash or reuse so that it doesn't get carried into storm drains. Remember, sand pollutes too.

Check out this salt application calculator from the Wisconsin Salt Wise Program! Check out the comparison chart below of the different kinds of salts and deicers.
be salt smart road salt deicier
salt - too much
Too much!
Just right!
Yardening Tips from Lonnie the Garden Gnome

Consider these winter "yardening" tips.

  • Practice "Salt Smart."
  • Keep storm drains clear of debris like leaves and litter and excess salt. Only rain down the drain!
  • Don't prune! Leave flowers and stems to provide winter food for wildlife and winter interest in your garden. If you're looking for a native plant with winter interest, consider planting Winterberry Holly!
Happy Holidays!

Franklin Soil and Water wishes you a very happy holiday season from our family to yours.

Please note, our office will be closed on the following days in observance of the holidays:

Monday, 12/25
Monday, 1/1
Question of the Month
Do you use salt at home? The road kind, not the table kind!
Yes
No
I don't know
Get the Scoop from Nature Scoop

Want to learn more about backyard conservation, pollinators, and more? Read the latest edition of the monthly newsletter Nature Scoop by Toni Stahl, National Wildlife Federation Habitat Ambassador.

Nature Scoop December 2023 - Sustainable winter yard care; Save birds; Clean water & More!

Learn more at www.nwf.org/certify and on Twitter/X @NatureScoopOhio.
Mikaela Mohr
Outreach Program Specialist
Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District
1404 Goodale Blvd. Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43212 
p: 614-486-9613 | e: mmohr@franklinswcd.org
Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District | (614) 486-9613 | www.franklinswcd.org