APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) — The winter season is upon us, and the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is getting ready for its annual chloride monitoring program.
Volunteers are needed to periodically monitor chloride in local waters throughout the winter in areas like Green Bay, Fond du Lac, Shawano, and everywhere in between.
“Salt and chloride are getting into our waterways year-round, but we see really big impacts when winter comes by and we’re putting down road salt,” said Alyssa Reinke with the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance. “Especially in less regulated areas like parking lots by private businesses.”
Volunteers will take samples from their designated location before road salting, during road salting, and after road salting.
The Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance is partnering with the Izaak Walton League’s salt watch program to provide salt watch kits for volunteers.
Volunteers will go through a brief training to learn about the monitoring process. Meeting dates and times will soon be released.
Data collected will help the alliance identify areas of concern where future chloride monitoring may be amplified, or additional outreach about salt reduction may be focused. Local municipalities may also use the data to determine if any infrastructure adjustments should be made.
Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
To sign up for the program, click here. To learn more about the program, visit the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance website, or email Alyssa@fwwa.org.
