Shiawassee Conservation District

  The beauty that comes with a fresh snowfall is unmatched. However, it doesn’t take long in Michigan for the temperatures to fluctuate and create rapid snow melt. Just like when rain falls during the rest of the year, melting snow turns into stormwater runoff too! Just as heavy rains wash across our yards, driveways, and parking lots, melting snow does the same thing. While washing across these surfaces, the melting snow picks up any pollutants it encounters and then is transported UNTREATED through storm drains into our nearby rivers, ponds, and lakes. So, any trash, oil, gasoline, or salt you notice on your driveway or local store parking lot can be swept away with melting snow and deposited directly into nearby water. Because of the time of year, snow melt has its own unique stormwater problems. The ground is often frozen at the surface, so the melting snow cannot infiltrate the ground like rainwater can. This creates a higher chance of flooding, either on your property or thro...

Winter in Michigan is full of adventure. Skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing - there are many exciting activities this time of year. But winter also means snow, ice, and hazardous conditions. How we handle these hazardous conditions, such as icy roads or slippery sidewalks, has an impact on our natural resources. What we put on our roads and driveways today can end up in our local waterbodies tomorrow. During snow melt, any salt, sand, or deicers that were used can make their way down storm drains and into surrounding lakes, rivers, and streams. Salt and deicers can be deadly to fish, aquatic plants, and other aquatic life. Sand can make the water murky, which makes it difficult for plants to grow and aquatic animals to eat. Additionally, these materials can reduce our ability to use the water for drinking, irrigation, or recreational opportunities, such as fishing or swimming.  This winter, consider these tips for managing ice and snow – these tips can help protect you, yo...