Effect of road salt application on soil conductivity in Canmore, Alberta

Abstract

Road salting is a wide-spread practice employed to increase driver safety during the winter months. Salt is, however, very mobile in the environment, toxic to some vegetation and invertebrates in high concentrations, and can seep into aquifers through groundwater recharge. Conductivity of roadside soils was measured as an estimate of soil salinity on the Trans-Canada Highway running through Canmore, Alberta on four consecutive days. Road size and elevation above the surrounding topography were deduced as key factors in determining where highest conductivity was found. Using a cubic polynomial equation for regression, peak conductivity values were estimated to occur at 12.1 m from the edge of the highway. Levels as measured from August 29th to September 1st 2011 demonstrated that soils were weakly to moderately saline. Although excessive soil salinity may be an issue following the spring melts, levels measured at this time of year were not considered to be of any significant environmental concern.