Mirror Lake needs your help!

Road salt runoff from roads, parking lots, driveways, and sidewalks has resulted in widespread salinization of both surface and groundwater in the Ausable River watershed. Runoff entering Mirror Lake has interrupted the natural turnover of the lake in the spring, threatening the health of the lake. Elevated concentrations of salt in groundwater threatens the safety of this important source of drinking water for Adirondack households.

The Ausable River Association is working on a Lake Champlain Basin Program funded project to quantify the total amount of road salt used in the Village of Lake Placid each year, as well as winter sidewalk, driveway and parking lot maintenance practices used. The data collected from this survey will help identify areas where investments in best management practices will give the greatest impact and return on investment for improvements in water quality. Your participation is critically important to our work to identify salt reduction targets to protect Mirror Lake and the Chubb River, as well as the Ausable River and Lake Champlain. Survey responses are confidential and will not be shared with the public.

If you contract some or a part of your winter maintenance please work with your contractor to complete the survey.

In the questions that follow we will be asking about snow and ice management on different surfaces around your home or business. First we ask about SIDEWALKS, then DRIVEWAYS, and finally PARKING LOTS. If you do not have one of the above, click NO then move to the next section. The survey will take approximately 5-20 minutes depending on the surfaces you maintain.

Complete the survey for a chance to win a $100 gift card to the Bookstore Plus or a $100 gift card to the Green Goddess Natural Market. Gift cards were donated by The Bookstore Plus and the Green Goddess Natural Market.

The Salt Use Reduction Initiative is also supported by the North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund, Adirondack Foundation-Nancy Adams Sweet Family Fund and Holderied Family Community Fund, Cloudsplitter Foundation, Village Lake Placid, Town of North Elba, the Mirror Lake Watershed Association, and many private donors.