Salinisation<\/a> Syndrome\u2019\u2014for nearly two decades. In this new study, they discovered that road salts combined with other human-made pollutants are creating conditions that periodically exceed certain regional Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits for aquatic life and other limits around the world for good quality drinking water and agriculture.<\/p>\nAfter analysing and reviewing data from around the world, the study\u2019s authors identified five major risk factors for Freshwater Salinisation Syndrome. The research team defined stages of its progression, developing a five-tier scoring system for the salt pollution that\u2019s polluting our rivers.<\/p>\n
Five-stage system of Freshwater Salinisation Syndrome<\/h3>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve developed this five-stage system to identify and track unhealthy progression of salinistion in our rivers in much the same way we would track an illness or disease like cancer,\u201d Kaushal said. \u201cWe have to look at this unhealthy Salinisation Syndrome from a systems-level perspective if we\u2019re going to develop guidelines for diagnosing harmful levels and treat the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n
Using a combination of data spanning decades in some of the world\u2019s major rivers and sensors that monitor electrical conductivity in streams and rivers around Washington DC, Kaushal and his team identified major risk factors that make some waterways more susceptible to salt pollution than others.<\/p>\n
These fundamental risk factors included climate, geology, flow paths, human activities and time. The research team then developed a five-level scorecard to track the damaging impact of Freshwater Salinisation Syndrome and its water quality symptoms based on risk factors:<\/p>\n
Stage 0:\u00a0 Highest water quality, minimally disturbed \nStage I: \u00a0\u00a0Abnormally elevated concentrations of one or more salt ions across one season \nStage II: \u00a0Chronically elevated concentrations of salt ions across multiple seasons \nStage III: Formulation of harmful chemical cocktails exceeding water quality thresholds \nStage IV: Systems-level failures in infrastructure and ecosystem functions and services (drinking water and biodiversity).<\/p>\n
Importance of this study to combat salt pollution in freshwater streams<\/h3>\n Kaushal\u2019s research team found DC area waterways have salt levels exceeding water quality thresholds, scoring higher than Stage II at various times during the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you look at the Potomac River, it can exceed the EPA regional aquatic life criteria for salt, and the Anacostia River can exceed the United Nations salt limit for crop growth,\u201d Kaushal explained. \u201cParts of the Potomac, the Anacostia and Rock Creek waterways are in Stage III on the scale for at least part of the time, depending on weather, road salt and other factors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gene E Likens, prominent ecosystem ecologist from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and the University of Connecticut, indicated that this new study is an important step forward in understanding the impact on road salts on waterway ecology.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe identification and analysis of critical state factors is a major advance in our understanding and management of Freshwater Salinisation Syndrome,\u201d Likens concluded.<\/p>\n
The new salinisation scorecard could be a useful tool in diagnosing and treating Freshwater Salinisation Syndrome in waterways locally and worldwide. Armed with this type of data on salts accumulating in our waterways and new knowledge of environmental symptoms across stages, policymakers could address the issue with regulations to manage winter salt application as well as other forms of salt pollution that contribute to the freshwater salinisation problem and its growing impacts on water quality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Scientists at the University of Maryland have conducted a five-stage system to track the unhealthy progression of salt pollution in freshwater streams. The salt used to grit the roads when it is icy could be damaging the water quality due to salt pollution in freshwater streams and rivers long after winter is over. A new […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":19348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24433,785],"tags":[700,745,789,3365],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Tracking the effects of salt pollution in freshwater streams<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n