Groundwater Management Area expands in Pierce and Madison Counties
/NORFOLK -- The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) has been monitoring the groundwater throughout the district for over 40 years. In the early ‘90s, a Groundwater Management Plan was established to protect the resource for future generations.
The LENRD is charged with the responsibility and authority to implement controls as necessary to both protect and remediate groundwater quality. Concern for groundwater quality and the growing health concerns for the public, as well as the desire to further implement best management practices to prevent groundwater contamination, are the primary reasons the district has expanded the geographic area of the Phase 2 & 3 Groundwater Management Area in Pierce and northern Madison Counties.
Concerns about high nitrates in the district have risen as long-term monitoring has shown increasing levels of nitrate concentration in much of the groundwater in Pierce County, and most recently in small portions of northern Madison County. Results indicate that of the approximately 40% of the registered wells sampled in Pierce County, the average nitrate-nitrogen level is 11.7 parts per million (ppm). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a maximum contaminant level of 10 ppm for nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water supplies.
Several health concerns are related to the consumption of high nitrate water. Nitrates can be particularly harmful to infants under six months of age. Excessively high nitrates can lead to methemoglobinemia, a condition that is commonly known as “blue baby syndrome” in which there is a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of blood, potentially leading to death. Pregnant women and other adults with certain health conditions may also be at increased risk. Preliminary results from another study also indicate a potential positive link between groundwater nitrates and the incidence of birth defects and non-Hodgkins lymphoma.
Actions taken in the Phase 2 Area by agricultural producers and the LENRD will help to protect and improve groundwater quality. The following are requirements for the Phase 2 Area. The UPDATED changes are in bold italics:
· Fall and winter application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer is prohibited between October 15 and March 15
· Operators who apply commercial nitrogen must be certified by the LENRD
· Submittal of annual field reports to the LENRD by March 15th of each calendar year
· Require deep soil sampling (24 inches) in fields planted to continuous corn (Each sample should represent no more than 80 acres)
· Require irrigation water sampling once every four years
· Defines nitrogen fertilizer as a chemical compound in which the percentage of nitrogen is greater than the percentage of any other nutrient in the compound and, when applied, results in an average application rate of more than twenty-five (25) pounds of nitrogen per acre over the field to which it is being applied.
· Any single application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer in excess of 80 pounds per acre is prohibited
· Require use of LENRD approved nitrogen inhibitor or stabilizer if applying more than 50 pounds of commercial nitrogen in any single application (after March 15) and provide documentation to verify use along with proper application rate
Actions taken in the Phase 3 Area by agricultural producers and the LENRD will help to protect and improve groundwater quality. The following are requirements for the Phase 3 Area. The UPDATED changes to the existing rules and regulations of a Phase 3 Area are in bold italics:
Continue all Phase 2 Area controls
· Require use of LENRD approved nitrogen inhibitor or stabilizer if applying more than 50 pounds of commercial nitrogen in any single application (after March 15) and provide documentation to verify use along with proper application rate
Defines nitrogen fertilizer as a chemical compound in which the percentage of nitrogen is greater than the percentage of any other nutrient in the compound and, when applied, results in an average application rate of more than twenty-five (25) pounds of nitrogen per acre over the field to which it is being applied.
Any single application of commercial nitrogen fertilizer in excess of 80 pounds per acre is prohibited
Require deep soil sampling (24 inches) in all fields planted to corn (regardless of crop rotation) (Each sample should represent no more than 80 acres)
Require the development and adherence to a LENRD approved Nutrient Management Plan
Require annual irrigation water sampling
The effective date of the adopted changes is October 15, 2018.
“These changes are the product of several months’ worth of effort between the District staff and our Board of Directors, and while these changes will require some adjustments for area producers, the feedback thus-far has mostly been positive,” said Brian Bruckner, LENRD Assistant General Manager. “The District takes the responsibility for groundwater management seriously, and is equally as committed to working cooperatively with landowners and producers as their actions are key to a long-term solution.”
“The District encourages any citizens with further questions about the Groundwater Management Area to contact the LENRD office or visit our website for more information,” added Bruckner. “We are seeking reasonable solutions to natural resources issues through increased communication and education.”