It’s not a stretch to say that snow removal has been a high priority for DeKalb and NIU as of late.

DeKalb is way ahead of last winter’s snowfall and, with the village’s salt shortage from last year still fresh in people’s minds, city workers have adjusted their snow removal techniques.

The city ordered 3,600 tons of salt for the 2008 to 2009 winter season, said Mark Espy, assistant director of Public Works. This amount of salt is enough to cover the football field at Huskie Stadium to a depth of about one and a half feet.

This comes after the city used a total of 5,400 tons of salt last winter, running into a salt shortage after 27 snow incidents occurred in a two-and-a-half month period and ice-filled waterways prevented barges from delivering salt, said Public Works Director Rick Monas in a Feb. 12, 2008 Northern Star story.

This year, the city is prepared.

“We have changed the way we do our salt practice,” Espy said. “We try to extend it a little farther.”

City workers have attempted to extend the salt supply by blending sand into it.

The city council adopted the policy of not salting low-speed roads with no intersections, and equipment is made sure to be calibrated properly so it applies the correct amount of salt to the roads, Espy said.

Area residents are likely fortunate that these measures were put in place as this looks to be an especially snow-filled winter.

At this time last year, DeKalb had about 26.7 inches of snow, and as of Tuesday, the city has had 38.9 inches, said NIU Staff Meteorologist Gilbert Sebenste. He added the average for the season is usually 32 inches.

“For the rest of the winter season, we are looking at an above-average snowfall,” Sebenste said.

The NIU Grounds Department, which is responsible for snow removal at the university, was not available for comment after repeated phone calls.

After 20 snow incidents in December and several already this month, it has seemed like DeKalb city workers have been salting the roads every two days, Espy said.

“The total depth of the snow isn’t as critical as the frequency of the events,” he said. “I’m concerned at the salt supply in the Midwest if the storms continue coming at the frequency they are now.”