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Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Water

Snow Disposal on Marine Ice and in Open Marine Water

This guidance is issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Water to provide guidelines regarding emergency snow disposal options. They apply to public agencies and private businesses disposing of snow in the State of Alaska.

Disposal of snow into fresh water, including lakes, streams, wetlands, rivers, estuaries, or tidally influenced streams or rivers, either frozen or unfrozen, without a permit is not allowed.

EMERGENCY SNOW DISPOSAL - Marine Waters Only

Under extraordinary conditions, when all land-based snow disposal options are exhausted, disposal of snow that is not obviously contaminated with road salt, sand, and other pollutants may be allowed in certain waterbodies under certain conditions. In these dire situations, the Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Water must be notified before disposing of snow in a waterbody.

For more information, contact: Program Manager: Nick Waldo, 907-465-5270

Use the following guidelines in these emergency situations:

  • For small communities bordering the seacoast, it is permissible to place clean, freshly fallen snow from adjacent parking lots and streets into marine waters.  
  • Dispose of snow in open water with adequate mixing to prevent ice dams from forming.
  • Do not dispose of snow in saltmarshes, vegetated wetlands, shellfish beds, mudflats, Special Management Areas designated by state or federal resource agencies, or areas of critical environmental concern.
  • Do not dispose of snow where trucks may cause shoreline damage or erosion.
  • Consult with the local government or municipality to ensure that snow disposal in open water complies with local ordinances and bylaws.
  • Remove accumulated trash and debris from the disposal area as they become visible. Debris in surface water is a water quality violation. Wastes and litter that become uncovered as the snow melts need to be picked up before off-site migration of the waste becomes a problem. Sites that are littered with trash tend to act as magnets for additional unpermitted dumping of wastes.

In light of the extreme snowfall in Southeast Alaska in the winter of ’25-’26, DEC will is expanding our marine snow disposal authorization for that region to include the following additional activities:

  • Communities with an approved snow disposal authorization are allowed to utilize those authorizations to receive snow from other locations not “adjacent” to the coast, as is typically authorized.
    • Note that this modification does not permit the disposal of snow from stockpiles or storage areas unless as part of a declared disaster, as described below.
  • Some operators needing to conduct snow removal activities may not have their own access points for marine discharge. DEC will authorize such operators to coordinate with current emergency snow disposal authorization holders to dispose of snow at previously authorized marine snow disposal locations.
    • A location with marine snow disposal capability will need to receive emergency snow disposal authorization in accordance with the Department’s website in order to be in compliance with this emergency marine snow disposal order.
    • DEC will not require any landowner to allow marine snow dumping from their property nor mediate disputes.
    • It is the responsibility of the marine disposal location’s property owner to monitor marine snow disposal operations to be sure the total volume of snow discharged into marine waters does not exceed the local marine environment’s capacity to take the snow without harm.
  • Snow removed from the roofs of structures may be disposed of, provided it is clean and freshly fallen.
  • When a local emergency is declared, a community is authorized to dispose of snow from stockpiles following the same guidelines as the disposal of fresh-fallen snow only for the duration of the declared emergency utilizing the following best practices:
    • Stockpiles being transported for disposal should contain snow that fell less than a week prior, to reduce the concentration of pollutants caused by compaction and partial melting.
    • When loading snow at stockpile locations, care should be taken to avoid scraping up dirt from under the stockpile or picking up visible pollutants or trash
    • Specific notification to DEC must be made of where the stockpiles being used are.


References

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Last Updated: 4/30/2024
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Department of Environmental Conservation

Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 111800
Juneau, Alaska 99811
Location:  410 Willoughby Avenue, Juneau