WILMINGTON — The Ausable River Association will distribute a salt-use survey this winter to residents, businesses and independent contractors in Lake Placid.

Developed with partners at the Adirondack Watershed Institute, the survey is essential to determining the amount of salt entering Mirror Lake and the Chubb River.

The salt survey is specific to residents and businesses in the Chubb River watershed. The watershed encompasses the area surrounding Lake Placid and includes the village of Lake Placid. Completing the survey will take five to 20 minutes.

“The salt survey is critical to understanding the health of Mirror Lake,” said Kelley Tucker, AsRA’s Executive Director. “The Town of North Elba and the Village of Lake Placid road crews are tracking their usage. Now, we need to understand how much salt is being put down on the sidewalks, driveways, walkways and parking lots by the businesses and residents of Lake Placid.”

To make the survey a success, people are asked to keep receipts of sand or salt purchases from this winter. Those using a contractor should ask them to track their usage on the property. Survey questions include what people use to remove snow and ice (shovel, snow blower, sand, salt, etc.).

The survey will be released in March and can be accessed through Google forms. The survey can also be provided over the phone, and a print version can be made available by contacting the Ausable River Association.

To learn more about AsRA’s work on Mirror Lake, please visit ausableriver.org. For questions about the survey or to get a survey, email salt@ausableriver.org. AsRA’s Salt Use Reduction Initiative in Lake Placid is funded by the Lake Champlain Basin Program, the North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund, Adirondack Foundation — Nancy Adams Sweet Family Fund, Adirondack Foundation — Holderied Family Community Fund, village of Lake Placid, Mirror Lake Watershed Association, town of North Elba, and private donors.