Cleared snow has too many pollutants to just be dumped in water
Subject…snow removal
I read with interest Judith Appleby’s letter regarding moving the snow and not dumping it on already cleared walkways. Being a senior I found this very inconsiderate especially after I had been out to clear my own pathway.
What concerns me is where it is dumped. Please, not in fish bearing waters. The snow that is cleared has pollutants from the roadway. Including oil and antifreeze from vehicles along with sand and salt for melting ice. Take a lesson from Edmonton, my old hometown. For years roads were cleared and snow was dumped in the North Saskatchewan upstream of the city water intake, and for years we all thought that the gassy smell and taste was from good old Alberta oil. Ha. Not likely. All that snow and ice, salt and gravel/sand that was dumped affected the river bottom too. Edmonton has moved their snow dumpsite so it isn’t affecting the intake of potable water for the city.
So please, consider hard where you are going to dump that snow before you put it in salmon habitat.
Gaye Benson
Duncan