Transcript Twin Cities Metro Area Chloride Feasibility Study

Twin Cities Metro Area
CHLORIDE PROJECT
Brooke Asleson
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
1 4 TH A N N U A L R O A D S A L T S Y M P O S I U M
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
Chloride & Water Quality
Water Quality Concerns

Chloride is toxic to aquatic life

230mg/L Chronic, 860 mg/L Acute

Chloride is a permanent pollutant, once in our surface waters there
is no feasible way to remove it

University of Minnesota study found that 78% of the chloride used
is being retained in the TCMA

At high concentrations can disrupt lakes natural mixing process

Costly to treat contaminated groundwater for drinking purposes

Removal of chloride in wastewater effluent is cost-prohibitive for
most publically owned facilities
Water Quality Conditions

37 lakes, streams & wetlands on DRAFT 303(d) list for chloride in
the TCMA (roughly 10% assessed) – 2 Chloride TMDLs completed

41 waters determined to be “High Risk” in TCMA


Defined as having values within 10% of the standard or at least one
exceedance of the standard
Groundwater levels of chloride in the TCMA are increasing

30% of wells above the standard

Impact on baseflow levels of chloride is important

USGS groundwater data also shows Significant increase in
chloride since 1996 in Upper Mississippi River Basin

Metropolitan trend analysis for the Mississippi, Minnesota and St.
Croix Rivers in TCMA all show increases in chloride
(compared to the 10 year average)
Monitoring Results – Interactive Map
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/r0pgb86
Public Concerns

365,000* tons of road salt are
applied in TCMA each year
*this is an estimate based on purchasing records

We need safe roads, parking lots and sidewalks in winter months

Currently no alternative de-icer without negative impacts to the
environment

Applied at all levels; State, County, City,
Businesses/Schools/Churches and Homeowners

Private applicators up against fear of slip & fall lawsuits – default
is to apply more product

Public expectations are difficult to meet

Individual water softeners are used in many households without
much thought given to amount of salt used
TCMA Chloride Project
TCMA Chloride Project
 Develop Chloride Management Plan for the 7-county
metro (project began 2010, draft plan Oct. 2014):

Create shared vision & develop partnerships

Evaluate existing water quality conditions

Identify sources of chloride in TCMA

Set realistic goals to protect all surface waters

Complete Chloride TMDLs for all impaired waters in TCMA

Layout flexible implementation strategies that will help achieve
water quality goals

Provide resources to assist with implementation and tracking
progress
Inter-Agency Advisory
Team
MPCA, MnDOT, Met Council,
BWSR, DNR, USGS, Dept. of
Health, U of M
Implementation
Plan Committee
Winter Maintenance
Professionals, Cities,
Counties, MnDOT,
WMOs/WDs
Technical
Expert Group
Hands-on road salt
applicators and
suppliers
Monitoring
Sub-Group
MPCA, DNR, Met
Council, USGS, local
partners
Technical
Advisory
Committee
MPCA
project
team
WMOs, WDs, Cities,
Counties, MnDOT
Outreach Group
WMOs, WDs, MS4s, road salt
applicators, Citizens
Education &
Outreach
Committee
MPCA, MnDOT &
local education
specialists
TCMA Chloride Management
Plan
Goal of the CMP
Chloride Sources
Winter Maintenance
Activities
•
•
•
•
•
Roads
Parking Lots
Driveways
Sidewalks
Salt Storage
•
•
•
Residential Water
Softeners
Municipal and Industrial
Point Sources
Other
Dust
suppressants
Fertilizers
Land application
•
•
•
Municipal wastewater
Municipal water
treatment
Industrial wastewater
Publicly
Owned
Treatment
Works
Surface Runoff
Lakes & Streams
Groundwater
Direct
Discharge
Septic
Systems
Lake
WBID
Watershed
Area (ac)
TMDL
TMDL and Components (all values in lbs/yr of chloride)
WLA
LA
MS4
Categorical
Wastewater
Non-Permitted
Natural
Background
Margin of
Safety
Battle Creek
Lake
Brownie Lake
Carver Lake
Como
Diamond Lake
(wetland)
Kasota Ponds
North (wetland)
82-0091-00
4,326
2,153,698
1,766,033
172,296
215,370
27-0038-00
82-0166-00
62-0055-00
27-0022-00
391
2,242
1,850
744
263,812
1,071,124
994,078
486,017
216,326
878,321
815,144
398,534
21,105
85,690
79,526
38,881
26,381
107,112
99,408
48,602
62-0280-00
3,070
2,250,690
1,845,566
180,055
225,069
Kasota Ponds
South (wetland)
62-0281-00
3,070
2,250,690
1,845,566
180,055
225,069
Kohlman Lake
Little Johanna
Lake
Long Lake
(South)
Loring Pond
(South Bay)
Mallard Marsh
(wetland)
62-0006-00
62-0058-00
7,533
1,703
4,839,183
1,224,243
3,106,733
1,003,879
1,050,484
303,096
97,939
378,870
122,424
62-0067-02
114,785
26,334,624
21,534,261
4,030
2,106,448
2,633,059
27-0655-02
34
9,764
8,007
781
976
62-0259-00
3,070
2,250,690
1,845,566
180,055
225,069
Parkers Lake
Peavey Lake
Pike Lake
Powderhorn
Lake
Silver Lake
Spring Lake
Sweeney Lake
Tanners Lake
Thompson Lake
27-0107-00
27-0138-00
62-0069-00
27-0014-00
1,064
776
5,735
332
1,431,262
205,995
3,591,268
218,587
528,161
165,889
2,943,971
179,242
51,528
16,184
287,217
17,487
64,410
20,230
359,021
21,859
62-0083-00
27-0654-00
27-0035-01
82-0115-00
19-0048-00
655
76
2,439
1,732
178
370,011
44,264
1,456,271
826,520
134,340
303,409
36,296
1,194,142
677,746
110,159
29,601
3,541
116,502
66,122
10,747
37,001
4,426
145,627
82,652
13,434
Valentine Lake
62-0071-00
2,404
1,165,072
955,359
93,206
116,507
Wirth
27-0037-00
426
1,095,000
897,900
87,600
109,500
787,163
3,692
1,059
56,826
Protection & Restoration Strategy
 Same BMPs for protection as for impaired waters
 Reduce chloride at the source
 Performance Based Approach: Goal is to get all
winter maintenance programs performing at a level
that is using minimal amount of salt
 Set water quality goals for
municipal and industrial
sources to work towards
meeting
 Allow flexibility in
implementation
Overall Chloride Reduction Strategy
 Provide high level strategies for reducing chloride
 Winter Maintenance Assessment tool to allow for




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detailed BMP selection tailored to each program
Included some tried & true BMPs for consideration
Offer non-traditional strategies for consideration
Provide suggested training opportunities
Considerations for private applicators
Discussion on Citizens Attitudes & Practices
Includes Education & Outreach resources
TCMA CMP Performance Based Implementation
Audience
years 1-2
Winter Maintenance
Become educated
Leadership (state, county,
Review responsibilities
city, schools, private) Those Develop policies
not involved in day to day
Assess the situation
operations of maintenance
Create goals
crew.
Set priorities
Implement changes
Winter Maintenance
Become educated
Professionals (state, county, Attend training
city, schools, private) Plow
Keep an open mind towards
drivers, mechanics,
change
supervisors of crew.
Look for ways to make salt use
more efficient
Use WMAt tool
List with your desired changes
Prioritize your action plan
Implement changes
WMOs/WDs, Environmental
Organizations and
Institutions, and Educators
-
Modify plan
Become educated
Put salt education and outreach
goals in your operating plans
Develop/modify grant program
Develop a cost share program
If you already have a grant
program, modify
years 3-5
Follow you plan
Share your
successes
-
-
Follow your plan
Eliminate poor
practices
Share your
successes
Implement plan
Educate
years 6-10
Re-assess your
operations
Revise goals
Continue to implement
changes
Share your successes
-
Re-assess your
operations
Adjust your goals
Follow your plan
Eliminate all poor
practices
Share your successes
-
Implement plan
Educate
-
Beyond year 10
Re-assess your
operations
Revise goals
Continue to
implement changes
Share your
successes.
Re-assess your
operations
Revise goals
Continue to
implement changes
Share your
successes
-
Review and revise
your outreach plan
Continue to educate
Encourage testing of
new technologies
Citizens
-
Become educated
Follow advice
Encourage others to use less salt
Reduce salt use
Encourage others to
reduce salt use
-
Reduce salt use
Encourage others to
reduce salt use.
-
Continue to reduce
salt use.
Policy Makers (city, county,
state, other)
-
Read the TCMA management plan Become educated
Understand why we use salt
Understand what the options are
for lower salt use
Improve policy
-
Improve policy
-
Improve policy
Example Activities – Winter Maintenance
Leadership
Chloride Reduction Strategies: Traditional
Winter Maintenance Practices
 Shift from granular to
liquids
 Improved physical snow
removal
 Snow and ice pavement
bond prevention
 Training for maintenance
professionals
 Education for the public
and elected officials
 Use Winter Maintenance
Assessment tool
Chloride Reduction Strategies: NonTraditional Winter Maintenance Practices
 Adopt a lower level of service

Primary challenges: public acceptance, unknown cost of longer commute times
and less safe travel conditions

Benefits: technically easy to implement, immediate reduction chloride & cost
savings in salt purchases
 Alternative pavement types/Infrastructure changes


Primary challenges: cost, and significant amount of time to implement
Benefits: no significant change in public expectations
 Driver Behavior Changes


Primary challenges: wide spread changes from the public, increase wear on roads
Benefits: allows for easier continued reduction in road salt use
 Non-chloride deicers


Primary challenges: likely increased cost for deicers, and unknown environmental
consequences
Benefits: no significant change in public expectations, easy to implement
Case Studies
University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities
 Made changes to winter
maintenance program 2006
Material
Rock Salt
ICE MELT
Use (tons/yr)
775
(1997-2005)
131
Use (tons/yr) Reduction
462
40%
(2006-2008)
64
51%
(MgCl2)
ICE MELT
(1997-2005)
131
(2006-2008)
59
(MgCl2 - CaCl2)
Sand
(1997-2005)
1965
(1997-2005)
(2008-2014)
20
(2006-2014)
55%
99%
 purchased new equipment for ~
$10,000
 saved $55,000 the first year the
BMPs were implemented
City of Waconia
 2010 updated “Snow and Ice
Policy” to a “Winter
Maintenance Policy” – proactive
focus opposed to reactive
 Addition of ordinances
reflective of policy guidelines
 Calibration and equipment
changes resulted in 70%
reduction in rates
 Addition of pre-wet practices
and material savings results in
yearly $8,600 cost savings
Other Key Elements of CMP
 Funding Opportunities
 Monitoring Recommendations

Collect samples during the critical periods:



Lakes: January - May
Streams: December - April
In lakes with potential for stratification, collect a bottom and surface
sample
 Research Needs
 Chloride reductions when implementing BMPs
 Environmental impacts of non-chloride de-icers
 Citizen attitudes and practices around the use of chloride
 Pavement Alternatives
Winter Maintenance
Assessment tool (WMAt)
Winter Maintenance Assessment
tool
Assist winter maintenance organizations to:
 Document their current practices
 Chart a path towards salt reduction
 Develop a strategy unique to their operation
 Evaluate small areas of winter maintenance
 Provide insight into current operations
 Shows user recommended practices (learning tool)
 Allow a flexible approach for implementing BMPs
Completing an Assessment
Link to User’s
Home Page
Report Link
Questionnaire
Sections
(each section has
multiple questions)
City #1
2010-2011
2013-2014
2018-2019
Next Steps
Chloride Management Plan Timeline
• MPCA review of Draft TCMA chloride
•
•
•
•
management plan & TMDL – Feb. 2015
Expect public review - Spring 2015
Approved CMP & TMDL - Summer 2015?
Test Winter Maintenance Assessment tool –
Spring 2015
Pilot Level 2 Training coming - Spring 2015
Implementation of plan already underway –
THANK YOU!!
THANK YOU
for being part
of the
solution!
Visit the Road Salt & Water Quality
website:
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/progr
ams/roadsalt.html
Brooke Asleson
Follow me on Twitter!!
@brookeMPCA
Watershed Project Manager
651/757-2205
[email protected]