Izaak Walton League of America

It’s well understood that neighborhood parks are vital for the wellbeing of communities. But Depot Park in Christiansburg, Virginia, with its polluted stretch of stream, was not much of an asset. When the town took action to fix the problem, Izaak Walton League volunteers stepped up to help ensure the project was a lasting success for everyone. Full story

When waterways are polluted with salt in the winter, it’s usually obvious where the problem is coming from: excessive use of de-icers on roadways and parking lots. When volunteers continue finding chloride contamination in the spring, they have to do more detective work. Our clean water advocates in Cleveland are continuing to see toxic levels of salt as the weather warms, and we’re investigating why. Full story

Across the nation, especially in agricultural areas, Nitrate Watch volunteers are reporting higher nitrate concentrations than normal this spring. Why is that? And what are the consequences? We explain this “spring flush” of nitrate pollution and dive into the recent data. Full story

When a town in Pennsylvania spread excessive road salt and then denied they had salted at all, Streamkeeper Dave Bell sought better answers. His investigation led him to the League’s Salt Watch community science program… and to smarter ways of keeping streets safe in the winter. Full story

Why was a local lake full of dead fish? One clean water advocate investigated the problem and worked for a solution. Read about Karl’s journey from community science to political advocacy. Full story

Older volunteers bring valuable skills and experience to the nationwide fight for cleaner water. For over 20 years, Mike Delaney has been patiently gathering data, forging connections between allied groups, and spreading the word about the importance of stream health – all while having fun and creating a better world for his grandchildren. Full story

New neighbors in southwestern Virginia worked together to find out why so many people in their community were suffering from cancer – and to solve the problem at the source. Full story

Scientists know that salt pollution causes lots of problems for the environment and for human health. They also know there are always more opportunities for research. Meet a fifth-grader in Minnesota who’s contributing to that field of knowledge. Full story

When high school student Marialuna Schreiner Cintrón found out that road salt poisons creeks and waterways, she couldn’t stop thinking: “Who will do something?” Far from being mired in crisis, Marialuna set out to find solutions. The journey led to surprising discoveries about road salt, science, and the power of one person. Full story

Road salt is highly effective at helping humans travel more safely in the winter. But it can also cause animals to stop dead in their tracks – literally. We explain what you can do in your own driveway to prevent the harmful side effects of salt from cascading across entire ecosystems. Full story