Hennepin County Chloride Project

Salt used on icy roads, parking lots, and sidewalks is picked up by snow and ice melt carrying chloride to local water resources such as lakes, streams, and groundwater. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) estimates that approximately 365,000 tons of road salt is applied in the Twin Cities metro area alone each year. Excess salt can affect the water quality of area waters and degrade habitat. Additionally, high concentrations of chloride are toxic to aquatic organisms and can kill vegetation along roads or in water resources.

To help address chloride concerns in the Twin Cities metro area, the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District (LMRWD), Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District (PRBCWD), Nine Mile Creek Watershed District and the Richfield-Bloomington Water Management Organization pooled money allocated to each of them under the 2019 metro-area watershed based funding pilot program to establish a chloride reduction grant project in the portion of Hennepin County that are within the Minnesota River Watershed.  RPBCWD is the fiscal agent for the grant. Grant requests that are approved have a partner match by these water management organizations for their share of the allocation. Additionally, in 2021, the Low Salt, No Salt Minnesota program was developed and launched.

Grants provided through the Hennepin County Chloride Project help reduce salt loading to local water resources. Approved grants include such things as a segmented snow vehicle blade and equipment retrofits for efficient sidewalk salt reduction. Simultaneously, the Low Salt, No Salt program build community capacity that maintains winter safety while reducing salt use by building relationships with property owners. Using less salt to manage snow and ice during winter months helps protect nearby waterways from receiving excess chloride, preventing associated water quality issues. 

Hennepin County Chloride Initiative Report

Riley Purgatory Bluff Creek Watershed District Project Overview