The Village Of Lake Placid has been the stage for two Olympic games, most recently in 1980. Having been a frequent visitor to the town, it is clear that much of the town is stuck in the 80’s. This is largely due to an aging population and little desire to revamp the town’s infrastructure. As a result, the town, which sits next to Mirror lake, has had several negative effects on local water quality. The much larger Lake Placid remains comparatively uninhabited except for homes and cabins along the water. This has prevented any major damage to the wildlife and water quality in the Lake.
Mirror Lake on the other hand, gets direct runoff from a downward-sloping town full of old roads. In the winter months, Lake Placid deals with nasty road ice and several feet of snow with intense road salt and sand application. While this keeps roads safe for drivers, the effects of salt entering the water systems have such negative effects that many parks in the Western U.S like Yellowstone and Teton have banned road salt entirely. The result is the legal requirement for all road vehicles to be equipped with expensive snow tires, and on many canyon passes, four wheel drive. Water testing in Mirror Lake displays a salt level higher than 97% of other lakes in the Adirondacks. Higher sodium and chloride levels, paired with higher levels of phosphorus increase the likelihood for algal bloom in the lake. Luckily, in that regard, Mirror Lake is relatively nutrient low or oligotrophic, so algal bloom is unlikely. The 2019 Mirror Lake water report states that “Significant long-term upward trends in conductivity, sodium, and chloride remain. Elevated bottom water chloride concentrations were documented and evidence exists that this is impeding the natural turnover of the lake in the spring. The disruption of this important physical process has the potential for the greatest negative effect on aquatic life. The highest chloride concentrations ever reported for the lake (129 mg/L) were observed in February and March.”(Ausable River Association) At its highest level, the Chloride concentration nearly resembled brackish water. In terms of salinity however, the concentration remains at a lower safety.
If the Adirondacks do not ban the use of road salt however, several questions arise as to what can be done. This summer, with New York state funding, Lake Placid has begun construction of a $15 million dollar infrastructure plan. There are two main focuses that may help the salt situation in Mirror Lake. The first is permeable and porous pavement. Porous pavement allows liquid runoff to enter the soil beneath the pavement instead of running in large amounts directly into reservoirs and lakes. By allowing the water to seep into the soil, the earth purifies much of the groundwater as it travels. This step is key in using the soil as a natural filtration system. What little water makes it into lakes and streams ends up being significantly cleaner than direct runoff. While most of the permeable pavement being added right now is in the form of sidewalks and parking lots, roads are expected to be replaced within the next few years as well. The other half of the Lake Placid infrastructure plan involves new pipe and sewage systems under the road. The old pipes were badly corroded and in need of replacement to prevent seepage. By adding in quality piping, the town can be sure that no leaks occur out of sight.
Porous Concrete
“Hochul Touts Environmental, Economic Projects in the Adirondacks.” Adirondack Explorer, 24 Sept. 2021, https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/hochul-touts-lake-placid-stormwater-project.
“Mirror Lake.” Ausable River Association, https://www.ausableriver.org/watershed/lakes/mirror-lake.
“Porous Pavement.” Megamanual.geosyntec.com, https://megamanual.geosyntec.com/npsmanual/porouspavement.aspx.