Lake Mendota
Lake Mendota was once a dumping ground for garbage and sewage which eventually reached the point where public complaints led to policy changes and behavior changes. Madison has reached another inflection point where it needs to change behavior again as water quality has declined in Lake Mendota and in our drinking water. Salt use and increasing hardscape has put the city on an unsustainable path.
Good article in Capital Times regarding the polluting of Lake Mendota through winter salt usage on hard surfaces.
Chloride pollution levels have risen quickly
It only took 40 years to increase chloride pollution concentrations by 5x from 1970 to 2010.
Chloride levels exceed aquatic acute toxicity
In the Spring Harbor Storm Drain, which flows into Lake Mendota, chloride concentrations exceed aquatic acute toxicity levels in the winter and spring.
