The impact of deicing chemicals used in winter maintenance is now being investigated throughout the country. The most common deicer, sodium chloride, has been identified as the cause of vegetation damage along roadway corridors. This study investigated the impact of sodium chloride on overstory vegetation in the Lake Tahoe Basin, an environmentally sensitive area. The percent of salt-affected vegetation within the study plot is described as a function of slope and soil group. In addition, the type and degree of vegetation damage caused by all types of factors is described. Forty-five percent of the vegetation analysed from 9 control and 226 experimental plots showed one or more damage symptoms from biotic and abiotic sources. Fifteen percent of the vegetation analysed showed damage from salt, and was second only to damage from insects (17 percent). Mitigation recommendations specific for the Lake Tahoe Basin are discussed, such as erosion control, revegetation with salt-tolerant species, and innovative deicing practices. (Author/publisher)
Abstract