Question

Chlorides enter the great lakes from human activity, but the most important sources is from the salting of roads in the winter to make them safe for driving. High Chloride concentrations (salty water) are damaging to the aquatic ecosystem. If, the great lakes would have chloride levels of > 20 mg/L, why would this be a problem? What uses of the lakes might be threatened by such high chloride concentrations? How do you think the lakes will be changed as a result of such high chloride concentrations?

Suppose you are the chief environmental engineer in charge of the joint Canadian – U.S. great lakes water quality commission. You have to set water quality limits for chlorides, recognizing that the limits you set would be considerably less than 20 mg/L and that changes in human lifestyle would be needed if the chloride concentration is to remain below these standards. What type of decisions would you be making? (there may be more than one, and there is no “correct” answer to this question.

Answer 1

The biggest concern with road salt is how it affects water quality.  When salt migrates into lakes and streams, it can also harm aquatic plants and animals. A heavy influx of sodium and chloride ions—which is what you get when salt dissolves—will disrupt the ability of freshwater organisms to regulate how fluid passes through in and out of their bodies. Changes in the salinity of a pond or lake can also affect the way the water mixes as the season changes leading to the formation of salty pockets near the bottom and biological dead zones.

Firstly need to find alternative of Salting of roads.Other options available is the purification processes for water and change in life style means need to sat standards for the water quality and food to maintain the chloride concentration.