It has been a cold and snowy winter in Saranac Lake, with approximately 69 inches recorded between November 8, 2025, and February 28, 2026. While slightly below the long-term average, this season has been notable across the Northeast. At Whiteface Mountain, snowfall has exceeded 200 inches.
As March brings longer days, melting snow begins its journey downhill. Snowmelt flows across frozen ground—acting like an impervious surface—creating significant runoff. As it travels through the watershed, it carries a “footprint” of the land into streams and ultimately into Upper Saranac waters.
What’s in that runoff depends on the landscape. It may include road salt, heavy metals, and automotive fluids from developed roads, or sediment rich in nitrogen and phosphorus from both developed and rural lands. After a consistently frigid winter with limited thaw, many pollutants remain stored in the snow and ice—only to be released during spring melt.
Research in the Lake Champlain Basin suggests winter runoff may contribute more phosphorus to regional waters than previously understood. Excess phosphorus fuels algal growth and threatens water clarity and habitat health.
One solution is green stormwater infrastructure—shoreline buffers, rain gardens, and native plantings that slow, absorb, and filter runoff before it reaches the lake. Even in early spring, root systems and leftover plant material help stabilize soils and reduce nutrient transport.
As winter gives way to spring, thoughtful shoreline stewardship remains one of the most effective ways to protect the long-term health and clarity of Upper Saranac Lake.
