Image description: As an urban ecologist studying water quality in Toronto, I spent the Summer of 2019 exploring the rivers of Toronto taking water samples for my PhD research. I am specifically interested in chloride levels (associated with road salt) in Toronto waterways, as chloride concentrations have risen over time and pose a threat to local species. Through measuring chloride levels in our local waterways, I predicted the impacts it may be having on local species, as well as providing clear evidence for the need to change our winter road salting practices as chloride concentrations are now found at alarming levels year-round. While taking water samples, I noted the diversity of Toronto’s rivers, with some sections surrounded by lush treed land with water meandering downstream, and others surrounded by concrete with water rapidly running downstream. Experiencing the diversity of Toronto’s rivers first-hand further motivated my PhD work as I seek to understand how differences in land conditions impact rivers and the organisms which call Toronto’s rivers home.

Why did you conduct this research? I conducted this research to understand the impact road salt may be having on biological communities in Toronto’s rivers. I found that chloride contamination persists into the summer, making it a year-round pollutant likely harming aquatic organisms.

Acknowledgements: Supervisor: Dr. Donald Jackson, UofT EEB, and Loraine Price (field assistant).