Salt Watch
Join us by visiting: njwatershedwatch.org/road-salt/ to register, order test strips and learn much more. This is a Sparta EC project and we would love to have you join our Green Team!
Salt Watch is a crowd-sourced community science project of the NJDEP and The Watershed Institute. This program mobilizes volunteers across our state to monitor chloride (road salt) levels in local surface waters (rivers, lakes, streams, etc.). The goals of Salt Watch are to raise awareness in the public about the connection between road salt, stream health, and public health, to identify chloride hotspots in freshwater, and to advocate for smarter application of road salt by sharing results with private landowners and local and state agencies.
The Sparta Townships Environmental Commission is a partner with NJ Watershed Watch to conduct a Road Salt study. NJ Watershed Watch Network launched NJ Salt Watch in December 2020 to monitor the effects of winter road salting on our freshwater streams and lakes. The usage of road salt and its accumulation in our water and land appears to be increasing nationwide and can have a detrimental effect on humans and aquatic wildlife. Therefore, the Township started the data collection throughout our 5 watersheds in December of 2023 and continues each winter season. The data collection team consisted of members of the Environmental Commission and Green Team. Twenty sites were tested in winter 2023 – 24 with 60 readings completed covering about 3 of the 5 watersheds in Sparta NJ. One area did show elevated levels of salt in the “Impaired/High” category: East Mountain Road near the corner of Woodport Road. Several areas showed elevated levels at the “Elevated/Vulnerable”: Beisers Pond, Springbrook Trail Stream, Lake Saginaw, Upper Lake Mohawk, Wallkill River by Sparta High school, Fox Hollow Outflow, SAC Parking Lot Outflow. Shared image key: larger the circle = more tests completed and color indicates results (example green = good). Testing resumed in winter 2024 -25 and the results can be viewed. It is important to get year over year test results. If you would like to participate this coming winter, please join the Environmental Commission Green Team!
Sparta Road Salt Data, Winter 2024-25
Location | Lowest (ppm) | Highest (ppm) | Watershed |
Balanced Rock Creek | 1/27 - 137 | 2/4 - 150 | Wallkill, LM |
Beisers Pond Outfl | 12/25 - 150 | 12/25 - 150 | Wallkill |
E. Mtn. Rd. Mall | 2/23 - 564 | 2/23 - 564 | Wallkill |
Lake Saginaw | 2/25 - 35 | 1/31 - 193 | Wallkill |
DS Haywood Rd. | 1/11 - <25 | 2/15 - <25 | Wallkill |
Sparta Lake Bridge | 1/11 - 91 | 1/31 - 103 | Wallkill |
Glen Lake | 2/25 - <25 | 2/25 - <25 | Wallkill |
Morris Lake Beach | 2/25 - <25 | 2/25 - <25 | Wallkill |
Sparta Glen Brook | 1/31 - 65 | 2/17 - 103 | Wallkill |
DS Wallk. R. St. Park Bridge | 1/21, 3/14 - 137 | 1/20, 1/31 - 329 | Walkill |
DS W. Mtn. Bridge HS | 1/31 - 474 | 1/31 - 474 | Wallkill |
Wallk. R. O’burg, Kennedy | 2/17 - 177 | 2/17 - 177 | Wallkill |
Sparta Trib at SAC | 1/18 - 137 | 2/26 - >650 0ff Chart | Paulins KIll |
U. Lake Mohawk Beach | 2/23 - <25 | 3/2, 3/15 - 125 | Paulins Kill |
DS Fox Hollow Lake, SM Rd. | 12/15 - 103 | 1/31, 2/8, 2/26 - 125 | Paulins KIll |
Sparta Trib. Near Quarry | 1/18, 1/23, 2/26 - 83 | 2/8 - 92 | Paulins Kill |
Sparta Wetlands EDZ | 1/18, 1/31 - 103 | 2/8, 2/26 - 150 | Paulins Kill |
Sussex Salt Dome | 1/20, 4/9 - 92 | 2/14 - 125 | Paulins Kill |
See Below the map of Sparta 2025 sites being monitored pinned in orange and suggested future sites in yellow. Share link: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0478732,-74.6733363,11.77z/data=!4m2!6m1!1s1XK-QIKBDBF5BKA5yvKoQGHM38ozIXR8?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDIwMy4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D