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As snowbanks begin to melt, road salt poses threat to New England’s freshwater ecosystems – The Boston Globe
Of all the winter pollutants, road salt, which lowers the freezing point of water, is the most concerning because it is particularly harmful to freshwater organisms that haven’t evolved to tolerate salt water, experts say.
“The reason this is an environmental issue for aquatic ecosystems is that salt specifically, is toxic,” said Andrew Hrycyna, water quality program manager at the Mystic River Watershed Association.
Hrycyna said the Environmental Protection Agency sets threshold levels for exposure to chloride, a part of salt that dissolves in water. Over time, such exposure can stunt growth and reproduction in fish and aquatic insects, while sudden exposure can cause them to die instantly.
Data collected for over 20 years by the Mystic River Watershed Association show an upward trend in chloride levels in freshwater sites across the waterbodies. The group measures “specific conductance,” a measurement of the electrical conductivity of water which is directly proportional with salt content, and has documented rising levels not only in winter but year round, suggesting that groundwater itself is becoming saltier.
A 2016 study by the United States Geological Survey found similar increases in chloride concentrations across rural and urban parts of New England, reinforcing concerns that the use of road salt has long-term regional impacts.
In Alewife Brook, a tributary of the Mystic River, chloride concentrations spiked sharply during snowmelt and rain events, monitoring during winter storms has shown. In some cases, levels briefly exceeded acute toxicity thresholds for freshwater organisms. Alewife Brook is now officially listed as “impaired” by chloride on Massachusetts’ Integrated List of Waters.
“The big problem comes not from the fact the snow melts, it’s the sheer volume [of salt] we’re using,” Hrycyna said. “We know we have to put some salt down to keep people safe, but can you put less and keep people equally safe?”
In most neighborhoods, storm drains are directly connected to nearby bodies of water through an underground pipe network. Anything on the street — from sand and soot, to dog waste and plastic debris — can be swept into rivers during snowmelt.
“It’s still precipitation,” said Chris Mancini, executive director of Save The Harbor/Save The Bay. “It’s still landing on urban streets, and where it melts, it’s carrying whatever it’s captured into storm drains over land into the water.”
Some cities, like Cambridge, are experimenting with brine, salt dissolved in water and sprayed onto roads, which allows for precise application and reduced overall use.
But there are other pollutants.
That black, crusty layer visible on plowed snow contains accumulated car exhaust particles, microplastics, sand and bacteria from pet waste. In the Charles River, elevated bacteria levels have the potential to make people sick. Nutrient pollution — including phosphorus from fertilizers, detergents and even organic matter like fallen leaves — can lead to over-fertilizing the river.
“It’s essentially like dumping fertilizer into the river, and you just get way too much plant growth, and it can actually overwhelm the river’s ecosystem,” said Julie Wood, climate resilience director at Charles River Watershed Association.
Advocates say the solution lies in redesigning how cities handle runoff.
Mancini said Boston’s Deer Island treatment plant and stormwater tunnels help manage intense runoff, storing and gradually releasing water to avoid overwhelming the system.
Green stormwater infrastructure, first pioneered in Maryland in the 1990s, is another part of the solution. These systems, which can take the form of sunken gardens, tree pits or underground infiltration tanks, capture runoff before it reaches storm drains. Soil and plant roots filter pollutants while water slowly seeps into the ground.
“That’s what we’re always pushing for both rainfall runoff and the snow melt,” Wood said. “Just natural filtration before it reaches the river.
Wood said salt remains harder to filter because it dissolves easily and can damage plants used in green infrastructure systems. That makes reducing salt use at the source especially critical. Mancini suggested the use of environmental friendly salt as an alternative.
There is, however, one environmental benefit to heavy snowfall. Wood said slow, gradual snowmelt allows water to recharge groundwater supplies, something intense rainstorms often fail to accomplish.
Still, advocates say the sight of blackened snowbanks offer a powerful visual reminder.
“Snow is just revealing to our eyes the pollution that’s always there year-round,” Wood said. “That black stuff we see on the snow is not only there in the winter, it’s just only visible in the winter.
Aayushi Datta can be reached at aayushi.datta@globe.com.
So you’re saying there’s a chance? Despite an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Boston Red Sox remain in the mix for a playoff spot. At least according to FanGraphs, who gives the club a 27.1% chance of reaching the postseason.
Boston’s likely path to October means winning the wild card. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 26.1% chance of winning an American League wild card. The team currently sits threes games back of the third and final wild card, despite a record of 25-33.
Don’t look for a division title this year in Beantown. FanGraphs gives the Red Sox a 1% chance of winning the AL East. Which makes sense, since the team currently sits in last place, 11.5 games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.
But SI’s Tom Verducci and Will Laws thinks Boston has a much tougher chance of making the playoffs. In their deep dive of the postseason, the pair came up with what they call the “Line of Doom.” According to their research, a team that starts “no better than 23–31 and your season is almost over only one-third of the way through the schedule.” Here’s why.
“In the wild card era (since 1995), only one team made the postseason starting with less than 22 wins in the first 54 games, the 2005 Astros (20–34). Of the 231 teams to start 23–31 or worse, only seven made the playoffs—once every 33 times,” Verducci and Laws note.
“Since the postseason field expanded in 2022, 31 teams began 23–31 or worse. Only one, the 2024 Mets (22–32), made the playoffs. That leaves such slow starters with a 1 in 31 chance—virtually the same as the larger sample size,” the pair add.
“The fact is one-third of the season does a good job separating pretenders from contenders. And as the calendar flips to June, understand that the playoff spots won’t change very much. In the four seasons with 12 playoff spots up for grabs, teams in playoff position when May ended kept a playoff spot 73% of the time—35 of 48 teams,” Verducci and Laws conclude.
So what does this have to do with the Red Sox, you ask? It’s Boston’s record after 54 games: 23-31. The “Line of Doom.”
More MLB: Red Sox Legend Backs ‘Worried’ John Henry
What should have been a quiet off-day for the Boston Red Sox has devolved into chaos.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was the subject of a profile article in The Boston Globe that didn’t paint a sunny picture of his tenure, including a tough nugget about his relationship with legend Theo Epstein. But Breslow’s harshest critic of the day was probably the father of one of his ex-players.
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Hunter Dobbins made his second major league appearance on Sunday since being traded from the Red Sox in the deal that brought Willson Contreras to Boston. After Dobbins pitched well and featured his sinker more than expected, his father Lance Dobbins took to social media to excoriate the Red Sox and Breslow.
Lance Dobbins’ latest comments harsher than the first
We covered Lance Dobbins’ initial comments from late Sunday night that seemed to be directed at the Red Sox organization already on Boston Red Sox On SI. But on Monday evening, the elder Dobbins reentered the fray to absolve pitching coach Andrew Bailey of any blame, effectively throwing Breslow under the bus.
When asked if Breslow replacing Chaim Bloom as chief baseball officer led to Hunter throwing less sinkers and fewer four-seam fastballs in the Red Sox organization, Lance responded with this:
Yes! In Bailey’s defense he wanted the addition, but people behind computers make those decisions. The coaching staff is literally working with one hand tied behind their backs. Driveline is the answer to everything, but winning games! Ask yourself, why are so many of our guys…
— Lance Dobbins (@lpdobbins) June 1, 2026
“Yes! In Bailey’s defense he wanted the addition, but people behind computers make those decisions. The coaching staff is literally working with one hand tied behind their backs. Driveline is the answer to everything, but winning games!
“Ask yourself, why are so many of our guys always injured (pitchers and position players), it’s not by pure bad luck. Pitchers are having constant issues and hitters are always hurting hands and wrist. It’s not a league wide problem. It has to be fixed or we’ll never win because half of our starters will always be on the IL.”
That last point has to hit home for the Red Sox because star outfielder Roman Anthony (who debuted in the majors a couple of months after Hunter Dobbins) has now had two long-lasting injuries that occurred on swings — an oblique strain in September that ended his season prematurely, and a partially torn finger ligament that has held him out of action since May 4, with no end in sight.
Monday just wasn’t a good day in the public relations department for the Red Sox front office, or for Breslow in particular. But it’s worth noting that Dobbins has only made two appearances in a Cardinals uniform, allowing four earned runs in eight innings, taking a loss and earning a save.
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Scenic Six
Seasonal train rides, Bristol’s historic Fourth of July celebration, Duck Tour discounts, and more.
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Welcome back to Scenic Six.
I hope everyone had a lovely holiday weekend. We visited friends in Wells, Maine and then explored nearby Ogunquit (recently named the best beach town in New England by Boston.com readers). Though the weather wasn’t the best, outdoor dining was still hopping and the streets were full of people. It’s always a good vibe in Ogunquit.
This week, I’m writing about two New England towns named among the most welcoming in America, a first-of-its-kind remote terminal for Logan Airport, the oldest continuous 4th of July celebration in the nation, Boston Duck Tour discounts, and more.
These New England towns roll out the welcome mat
If you’re looking for a happy getaway, two New England towns were just named on a World Atlas list of 12 of the most welcoming towns in America: Bar Harbor, Maine and Burlington, Vermont. Both are hosting free festivals and other community events this summer, adding even more reasons for a Maine or Vermont escape this season.
Need a ride? Consider a seasonal train
I’m a big fan of train travel because it’s relaxing and stress free. The CapeFlyer between Boston and Cape Cod resumed this past weekend and the Berkshire Flyer between the Berkshires and New York City starts back up on June 12 (with expanded service).
Attend the oldest continuous 4th of July celebration in America
Believe it or not, Independence Day is just around the corner and one of the best celebrations in America is in Bristol, R.I., according to USA Today. The publication just named the Bristol Fourth of July Celebration among the best 4th of July celebrations in the nation (fun fact: this will be its 241st year).
Travel tips:
- Logan Airport passengers flying JetBlue and Delta Air Lines can soon skip airport security lines and go straight to their gate by using a first-of-its-kind remote terminal in Framingham, opening June 1.
- Celebrate America’s 250th birthday at Weir Farm National Historical Park in Ridgefield, Conn., the only national park dedicated to American painting, on June 14 (Flag Day) by attending the free event Art is Revolutionary. Guests will enjoy live music, plein air demonstrations, open house tours, refreshments, and art making activities.
Deals and steals:
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- Celebrate the 140th anniversary of Basin Harbor Resort & Boat Club in Vergennes, Vermont by booking the Summer Starts Early package, which takes 25% off weekdays and 10% off weekends on three-night stays taking place through June 18.
- Taking a Boston Duck Tour? Save up to $10 per ticket on tours departing before 10 a.m. by using the discount code EARLYDUCK. The discount is valid for online purchases only.
- Traveling by train? Save up to 60% off eight tickets on Amtrak when booking Amtrak Share Fares by using the code V291 on the Amtrak app. A two-day advance purchase is required.
I’ll leave you with this photo I took of the sunrise in Wells, Maine.
Where have you traveled lately? Please share your photos by sending them to [email protected] and they may be featured in an upcoming Scenic Six newsletter.
Whether you’re traveling this week or planning your next escape, enjoy the journey.
— Kristi
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