Snowy Accotink Creek
Salt Management Strategy Development
What's in the newsletter
  • Project Update
  • Summary of SaMS Toolkit Resources and Recommendations
  • In the News
  • Salt Trivia - snap shot of regional survey results
  • Ways to Get Involved
Project Update
Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, we have been busy at work. Since our last update in August 2019, we’ve had two more rounds of workgroup meetings, administered a regional public awareness survey (see more in the Salt Trivia section below), and conducted a pilot outreach campaign that reached an audience of almost 21,000 viewers!

We are excited to report that every resource and recommendation developed by five of our six workgroups have not only been approved at the workgroup level, but also met consensus, which has been our goal from the beginning of the project! Our sixth workgroup was about to finalize their recommendations, but their last meeting was put on hold due to COVID-19 and the necessary social distancing measures that prevent us from meeting. Fortunately, we have well-vetted drafts of those recommendations to work with.

DEQ and our project support, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, have assembled all of the SaMS recommendations and resources into a document we are calling the “SaMS Toolkit.” Its name reflects its design as a grab-and-go resource, providing a user-friendly overview resource for all audiences with in-depth recommendations and resources in the appendices. 

With more than 25 different meetings over the course of 2 years leading up to this point, we are excited to see the valuable pieces coming together. But we’re not done yet! Over the next few months, our Steering Committee will be reviewing the draft SaMS Toolkit to ensure the workgroup’s recommendations are accurately represented. The Steering Committee was formed from a pool of nominations by Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) members. From that pool, members were selected to provide a balanced representation among the different stakeholders that comprise the SAC. This Steering Committee review period will last throughout the summer, culminating with a meeting in August. Following completion of their review, the draft SaMS Toolkit will be given to the SAC for final review and a vote on its approval during their meeting. Once it has been approved by the SAC, the SaMS Toolkit will be open for a 30-day public comment period, initiated by a public meeting.

It is our hope and our intent to proceed as planned and finalize the toolkit by the end of 2020. However, we know that these plans may be challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, we will re-evaluate these plans in the coming months and adjust appropriately. Regardless, this is an exciting time for SaMS, and we look forward to providing you more updates in the future! Until then, we hope you and yours stay safe and well.
Summary of SaMS Toolkit Resources and Recommendations
The Toolkit contains recommendations for winter maintenance professionals, scientists, governments and educators, with content covering the following topics:

Tools for winter maintenance professionals: A Best Management Practice (BMP) menu, an application rate evaluation process, a BMP implementation process, an evaluation of non-chloride deicers, and metrics and forms for tracking of salt use and BMP implementation and effectiveness.

Tools for water quality monitoring: trends in regional specific conductance, recommended criteria for a water quality monitoring program, a pilot water monitoring program to evaluate the impact of BMP implementation on water quality, models for predicting chloride concentrations, a resource identifying existing water quality monitoring efforts and groups willing to partner, and a conceptual model of salt origin, transport and fate.

Tools for government: an overview of training and certification programs, government coordination and planning to enhance public communications and promote SaMS implementation, plans to pool resources and share expertise, an impervious surface cover analysis of transportation, commercial, government, and residential land uses, and results of a public awareness survey

Education and outreach: education and outreach plans, messages, and resources, and BMPs for residents and drivers including pamphlets, webpages, and social media infographics. 

In the News










Salt Trivia
A December 2019 survey found that around half of the population in Northern Virginia is allowed to telework during a winter storm. Of that population that can telework, only 20% always or mostly take advantage of that opportunity during a winter storm. Similarly, only 23% of people always avoid or postpone non-work activities during a winter storm. However, it is promising to note that 87% of respondents are willing to consider reducing or eliminating their travels if salt use had to be reduced. Although the impacts from salts were not well known by the respondents (on average less than 40% knew), most respondents (86%) are willing to consider supporting reductions in salt use if they knew of the impacts to drinking water and the environment. Click here to see the full summary that was presented at the last Education & Outreach workgroup meeting in February, 2020.
Ways to Get Involved
You can submit comments, questions, and contacts to Dave Evans at David.Evans@DEQ.Virginia.gov .


We hope that you will continue the conversation with your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Better public awareness of the benefits and impacts of winter salt use will only improve the success of SaMS. 


For more information, check out our  SaMS Awareness Newsletter from Decembe r, our “ Report on the Impacts of Salts on the Environment, Infrastructure, and Property ,” our SaMS Project webpage , and also the materials from all of our meetings at our meeting materials page.