Izaak Walton League of America

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

The Izaak Walton League's Salt Watch program tackles ambitious goals by taking small steps. Our Abby Hileman breaks down effective strategies for creating change that lasts. Full story

Nitrate is a necessary nutrient for plants – but artificial fertilizers have put way too much of it into the environment. Now excess nitrate is contaminating our drinking water and threatening our health. The Izaak Walton League has solutions to this growing problem. Full story

"To be honest, I didn’t even think about road salt being a source of pollution in streams until I got involved with Salt Watch in 2019." Just a few years later, Amy Ulland is a superstar Salt Watcher leading a team of 40 volunteers. Full story