We know that lakes in Muskoka are threatened with toxic chloride from our use of road salt. Data from eight citizen scientists testing in 27 different locations over two years, highlights important sources for rising chloride readings and records some levels that are of concern. The study enforced the value of citizen science and what it can accomplish. The learnings can be applied to work in FOTMW’s SALTYMuskoka program to inform residents on how to reduce road salt pollution.

“Our big finding, which wasn’t really a surprise, was that it’s possible to pinpoint those areas of high salt loading by using measurements made by citizen scientists and thinking about where the sources might be,” he says. Lakes with elevated chloride levels all have major winter-maintained highways or urban areas in their immediate catchments and road salt is applied to these areas in winter. While this much is known, it is important to pinpoint areas in the watershed with much higher chloride levels than others.

“We had eight citizen scientists sampling in 27 different places, measuring conductivity as a surrogate for road salt,” he says. A conductivity meter is used to determine salt levels by measuring a solution’s ability to conduct electricity, which is directly related to the concentration of dissolved ions, including those from salt. The more salt in a solution, the higher its conductivity.

Of the 27 locations, four were significant contributors of chloride. “We learned that in some places in Gravenhurst and Bracebridge, the road salt coming off a parking lot has about half the seawater concentration of chloride. We know that water that is this salty is harmful to Muskoka’s aquatic life,” explains Hutchinson. This serious input of road salt can have harmful effects on many of the animals living in our lakes, as well as our cars, our clothes, our pet’s feet and our infrastructure.”

“When one looks at the watershed report cards by the Muskoka Watershed Council, it can be seen that certain areas like Gravenhurst Bay are getting worse over time,” he says. “That’s because of this accumulation of road salt.”

Hutchinson’s report recognizes the value of citizen scientists. “Citizen scientists can do a lot more than any one scientist can do on their own,” he explains. “We have an army of people that can go down to the foot of their driveway and make an observation and measurements. They can go down to the nearest storm drain or creek, and they can do that frequently because it’s close to where they live.”

Citizen scientists take a personal interest in their project and research. “They take that interest forward,” he says. “I think that sometimes politicians get tired of hearing bad news from scientists but when they hear that from the average citizen, they are more inclined to pay attention.”

SALTYMuskoka is a new Friends of the Muskoka Watershed education and outreach program to help people identify and manage road salt pollution in their areas. Alesha Breckenridge, FOTMW’s SALTYMuskoka Project Lead will use this citizen science report. “This study will guide our educational programming for SALTYMuskoka. The goal is to empower people to learn how to reduce their personal road salt use to protect our watershed,” says Breckenridge. Please see the link to Dr. Hutchinson’s report here. FMW2025-02AR – Road Salt Pollution in Muskoka.pdf

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FOTMW also held their business meeting and had presentations from their partner Trent University, and two scientists who are directors on the board. But the big news is their long-term plan.

With input from advisors, the board, local experts and using published literature, FOTMW evaluated 14 watershed threats to determine the top seven plans for FOTMW’s focus for the future. The threats were evaluated for: severity, extent and trend; current government actions; and potential for local community action to help resolve the threat.

At the top of the list are plans to address calcium decline and increasing levels of road salt. The study of hazardous algal blooms and novel toxic chemicals are on the work plan too. Tying that all together is a goal to motivate the community to participate in protecting Muskoka. Below is the full list of projects for the next year. (See the full report at https://fotmw.org/our-major-programs/)

1. Calcium decline has damaged Muskoka forests. FOTMW plan to involve the community in restoration using wood ash.
2. Calcium decline has reduced forest carbon capture. Working with university researchers, FOTMW will determine what impact healthier forests could have on climate change. How much more carbon will forests capture after ash additions?
3. Calcium decline in forests may increase the risk of spring floods. FOTMW will determine if an increase in calcium will increase forest transpiration, reducing the severity of spring floods.
4. Road salt is damaging many Muskoka lakes. FOTMW are identifying the source and raising awareness of the issue
5. Hazardous algal blooms are on the rise. FOTMW plan to study their causes so they can better predict occurrences and investigate solutions.
6. Novel toxic chemicals may be damaging our lakes. FOTMW will determine if aquatic life is threatened and action is needed.
7. Public will and action are needed to protect the environment. Through Citizen Science and other projects, FOTMW will motivate, educate and provide opportunities for the community to participate in protecting Muskoka.

FOTMW Chair Peter Kelly also shared some updates. “Revenue Canada has recognized us as a registered charity, allowing us to issue tax receipts for donations, and that is making a difference,” he says. “We are in an excellent position for the future and it’s going to be a good one for FOTMW. We focus on science driven solutions.”

A new board was elected. Financials were approved and about 35 guests heard scientific reports from Dr. Neil Hutchinson on the road salt study and plans, and Dr. Shaun Watmough of Trent University and Dr. Norman Yan on the results of additions of ash to our forests.

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To earn this status, FOTMW had to prove to the Canada Revenue Agency that their environmental protection work meets strict criteria. The Friends of the Muskoka Watershed can now give tax receipts for all monetary donations.

“This is an important change for our organization,” says Doug Clark, a volunteer director on the FOTMW board. “It was a long and complex process and many months of communication with the Canada Revenue Agency. More work will be required in the future as we take on this new role as a charity. ”

Many people will be familiar with the Friends of the Muskoka Watershed’s wood ash recycling and Citizen Science programs and their work to find solutions and strategies to deal with environmental issues such as road salt and algal blooms.

In the past decade, FOTMW has been supported by many who have given money to support the organization’s work protecting Muskoka watershed. “We are thrilled that we are now able to offer our generous donors and members a tax receipt for their financial contributions,“ says Dr. Norman Yan, founding director of FOTMW. Both a membership campaign and fundraising campaign are planned in the next few weeks so FOTMW supporters can take advantage of year-end tax receipts.

To qualify for registration as a charity, an organization must have purposes that are exclusively charitable and charitable activities that support those purposes. FOTMW identifies environmental threats, develops practical science-based solutions, and connects with policy-makers to put these solutions in place. They also cultivate an awareness of these threats and solutions through educational outreach within the Muskoka community.

Priorities for the organization include strategic research and actions to solve known problems that are not yet managed well – such as calcium decline in Muskoka forests, harmful winter road salt, climate change and increasing algal blooms. Their priorities are regularly reviewed and adapted by the board.

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