MARQUETTE -- The water table is a layer of underground water that replenishes our bodies of water and is also used for drinking water. When snow melts the good news is it helps refill the water that's lost through precipitation and evaporation through the winter.
The bad news is if the snow melts rapidly it could be toxic.
"When it causes the water to run down in sheets and it catches the pollutants from our cars, oil, gas, the rubber from our tires...everything, even dog excrement," said Superior Watershed Partnership Project Manager Natasha Koss. "All of that's going to end up in the water."
The same thing can happen from large amounts of rainfall. Staff members at the SWP say there have been beach closures over the years due to high pollutant levels in the water. The conservationists remind residents that not littering and keeping our streets clean helps minimize the problem.
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