Survey of Nitrate Contamination in Shallow Domestic Drinking Water Wells of the Inner Coastal Plain of Georgia

Beginning in 1990, 2,588 wells were sampled within the Inner Coastal Plain of Georgia in an effort to assess the quality of ground water in this major farm belt. The project was one aspect of an EPA-sponsored program to assess ground-water quality statewide. Several variables were measured, including pH, specific conductivity, dissolved oxygen, temperature, nitrate, nitrite, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. In some wells sulfate, chloride, potassium, iron, and manganese contents were also determined. Particular emphasis was placed, however, on pH, specific conductivity, temperature, and nitrite/nitrate content. Generally, pH was between 6 and 8, and temperatures were within a range of 18° and 24°Celsius. Measurements of specific conductivity varied, but averaged 250–275 microsiemens/cm. Nitrite contamination was negligible, and nitrate contamination of the ground water within the shallow aquifers did not appear to be significant. In fact, 56% of the wells sampled showed no detectable signs of nitrate or nitrite contamination. There were, however, a few isolated wells where nitrate as nitrogen measurements exceeded the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Standard of 10 ppm. The general lack of contamination may be the result of the nature of the agricultural practices used in this region and/or the effect of natural denitrification.     

Untersuchungen zum Stickstoff-, Phosphor- und Kaliumeintrag in das Grundwasser nach Gülledüngung

About 53 million tons of liquid manure from the animal husbandry plants of the GDR are used for purposes of organic fertilization per year. Fertilization by liquid manure must be reasonably done, since there should be avoided fertilization and yield losses of agriculture and damages to the ground-water as a drinking-water resource. In dependence on the cultivation of crops, the kinds of graining of soils, the month of application and of the quantity used–referred to the application of nitrogen of liquid manure in kg/ha–the enrichment effect of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in infiltration water is determined with the aid of lysimeter investigations. Components of nitrogen which are not used by plants get into ground-water as undesired nitrate, partly through nitrification processes. Unused potassium, too, migrates into ground-water, whereas phosphorus is bound by soil. By proposals for new limit values of load with liquid manure, summarized in tabular form, the valid specifications of the GDR standards “TGL” are criticized.     

Contamination from Sand-Bentonite Seal in Monitoring Wells Installed in Aquitards

A six year field experiment has shown that a sand-bentonite mixture used to seal monitoring wells in aquitards contributes solutes to the ground water sampled from these wells. Monitoring wells were installed at field sites with hydraulic conductivity (K) ranging from 5 × 10 ^-9 m/s to 3 × 10¹¹ m/s. In most cases the boreholes remained dry during installation which allowed the placement of a dry powdered bentonite/sand mixture tagged with potassium bromide (KBr) to seal and separate sampling points. Over six years, wells were sampled periodically and ground-water samples were analyzed for Br and Cl and other major ions. Typical Br results ranged from 10 mg/1 to 35 mg/1 in the first 700 days, as compared to an estimated initial concentration in the seal material of about 75 mg/1. After six years the bromide concentrations had decreased to between 3 mg/1 and 5 mg/1. The total mass of Br removed in six years is less than 50% of that placed; therefore the contamination effects, although considerably diminished, persist. The trends of Br, Cl, Na, and SO₄ indicate that varying degrees of contamination occur. These data show that the materials used to seal monitoring wells in aquitards can have a significant and long-lasting impact on the chemistry of the water in the wells.     

Relating nitrogen sources and aquifer susceptibility to nitrate in shallow ground waters of the United States

Characteristics of nitrogen loading and aquifer susceptibility to contamination were evaluated to determine their influence on contamination of shallow ground water by nitrate. A set of 13 explanatory variables was derived from these characteristics, and variables that have a significant influence were identified using logistic regression (LR). Multivariate LR models based on more than 900 sampled wells predicted the probability of exceeding 4 mg/L of nitrate in ground water. The final LR model consists of the following variables: (1) nitrogen fertilizer loading (p-value = 0.012); (2) percent cropland-pasture (p < 0.001); (3) natural log of population density (p < 0.001); (4) percent well-drained soils (p = 0.002); (5) depth to the seasonally high water table (p = 0.001); and (6) presence or absence of a fracture zone within an aquifer (p = 0.002). Variables 1-3 were compiled within circular, 500 m radius areas surrounding sampled wells, and variables 4-6 were compiled within larger areas representing targeted land use and aquifers of interest. Fitting criteria indicate that the full logistic-regression model is highly significant (p < 0.001), compared with an intercept-only model that contains none of the explanatory variables. A goodness-of-fit test indicates that the model fits the data well, and observed and predicted probabilities of exceeding 4 mg/L nitrate in ground water are strongly correlated (r2 = 0.971). Based on the multivariate LR model, vulnerability of ground water to contamination by nitrate depends not on any single factor but on the combined, simultaneous influence of factors representing nitrogen loading sources and aquifer susceptibility characteristics.     

Nitrate Source Identification Using δ15N in a Ground Water Plume Near an Intensive Swine Operation

Nitrate-contaminated ground water beneath and adjacent to an intensive swine ( Sus scrofa domesticus ) production facility in the Middle Coastal Plain of North Carolina was analyzed for δ¹⁵N of nitrate (δ¹⁵N-NO₃). Results show that the isotopic signal of animal waste nitrogen is readily identifiable and traceable in nitrate in this ground water. The widespread land application of animal wastes from intensive livestock operations constitutes a potential source of nitrogen contamination to natural water throughout large regions of the United States and other countries. The site of the present study has been suspected as a nitrate contamination source to nearby domestic supply wells and has been monitored for several years by government and private water quality investigators through sampling of observation wells, ditches, and streams. δ¹⁵N of nitrate allowed direct identification of animal waste-produced nitrate in 11 of 14 wells sampled in this study, as well as recognition of nitrate contributions from non-animal waste agricultural sources in remaining wells.     

Contamination of groundwater under cultivated fields in an arid environment, central Arava Valley, Israel

The purpose of this study is to obtain a better understanding of groundwater contamination processes in an arid environment (precipitation of 50 mm/year) due to cultivation. Additional aims were to study the fate of N, K, and other ions along the whole hydrological system including the soil and vadose zone, and to compare groundwater in its natural state with contaminated groundwater (through the drilling of several wells).

A combination of physical, chemical, and isotopic analyses was used to describe the hydrogeological system and the recharge trends of water and salts to the aquifers. The results indicate that intensive irrigation and fertilization substantially affected the quantity and quality of groundwater recharge. Low irrigation efficiency of about 50% contributes approximately 3.5–4 million m³/year to the hydrological system, which corresponds to 0.65 m per year of recharge in the irrigated area, by far the most significant recharge mechanism.

Two main contamination processes were identified, both linked to human activity: (1) salinization due to circulation of dissolved salts in the irrigation water itself, mainly chloride, sulfate, sodium and calcium, and (2) direct input of nitrate and potassium mainly from fertilizers.

The nitrate concentrations in a local shallow groundwater lens range between 100 and 300 mg/l and in the upper sub-aquifer are over 50 mg/l. A major source of nitrate is fertilizer N in the excess irrigation water. The isotopic compositions of δ¹⁵N–NO₃ (range of 4.9–14.8‰) imply also possible contributions from nearby sewage ponds and/or manure. Other evidence of contamination of the local groundwater lens includes high concentrations of K (20–120 mg/l) and total organic carbon (about 10 mg/l).     

Survey of Rural Wells in Missouri for Pesticides and Nitrate

Two hundred and one rural wells were sampled in eight agricultural areas of Missouri. Samples were analyzed for 25 pesticides and nitrate. Forty-three percent of the wells sampled had at least one pesticide detection. Thirteen percent of the wells had at least one detection ≧ 1 ppb and these concentrations were confirmed. Only one well exceeded U.S. EPA Health Advisory levels. Twenty-two percent of the wells exceeded the U.S. EPA Drinking Water Standard for nitrate. Pesticide detections were most strongly correlated to well depth. Nitrate levels were primarily related to well depth, well construction methods, and well siting.     

Naturally Occurring Arsenic in Sandstone Aquifer Water Supply Wells of Northeastern Wisconsin

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 50 μg/L for arsenic was exceeded in 86 of 2125 water supply wells sampled over a broad geographic range in pails of Drown. Outagamie and Winnebago Counties, Wisconsin. The hydrologic and geochemical properties of the area were examined and the source of arsenic was determined to be natural, Ground water collected from two geologic formations, the St. Peter Sandstone and the overlying Platteville/Galena Dolomite, was found to be the principal source of the elevated arsenic concentrations. These two Formations supply a large portion of eastern Wisconsin private wells with their drinking water.
Three wells were found within Outagamie County to have an unusually low pH. Results suggest that the cause of the low pH in these wells is of natural origin induced by the oxidation of iron sulfide minerals. In this reaction iron sulfide minerals are oxidized. forming sulfuric acid causing a low pH and a high concentration of various metals to leach from native rock formations into the water supply.
Based on the data gathered from this study, an arsenic advisory area was designated for both Outagamie and Winnebago Counties. Guidelines were developed for well drillers and owners constructing new wells within the advisory area to reduce the likelihood of arsenic presence in the water supply. Fifteen wells containing arsenic exceeding the MCL were successfully reconstructed or new wells were constructed based on the guidelines developed. These constructions substantially reduced arsenic levels in the well water supplies.     

Die Nitratsituation in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Altogether 10… 20 kg/ha·a N from precipitation are introduced into the soil. The fertilization of the agriculturally used area increased from 50 to 120 kg/ha·a N between 1950 and 1982. The nitrogen concentration is theoretically increased by 0.4 mg/l due to infiltration of surface water and wastewaters. The data prove agriculture to the main source of the nitrate load of groundwater, especially in regions with predominantly intensive agricultural use there is delivered drinking water with nitrate concentrations of more than 50 mg/l. The fixing of the limit value for drinking water at 50 mg/l nitrate (value recommended by the EC: 25 mg/l) is justified by new findings. Since the technology of nitrate elimination from water is very expensive, mainly the preventing of too high nitrate concentrations should be aimed at by agricultural measures of ground-water protection.     

Applying a Regional Transport Modeling Framework to Manage Nitrate Contamination of Groundwater

Regional nitrate contamination in groundwater is a management challenge involving multisector benefits. There is always conflict between restricting anthropogenic activities to protect groundwater quality and prioritizing economic development, especially in productive agriculture dominated areas. To mitigate the nitrate contamination in groundwater, it is necessary to develop management alternatives that simultaneously support environmental protection and sustainable economic development. A regional transport modeling framework is applied to evaluate nitrate fate and transport in the Dagu Aquifer, a shallow sandy aquifer that supplies drinking water and irrigation water for a thriving agricultural economy in Shandong Province in east coastal China. The aquifer supports intensive high-value vegetable farms and nitrate contamination is extensive. Detailed land-use information and fertilizer use data were compiled and statistical approaches were employed to analyze nitrogen source loadings and the spatiotemporal distribution of nitrate in groundwater to support model construction and calibration. The evaluations reveal that the spatial distribution and temporal trends of nitrate contamination in the Dagu Aquifer are driven by intensive fertilization and vertical water exchange, the dominant flow pattern derived from intensive agricultural pumping and irrigation. The modeling framework is employed to assess the effectiveness of potentially applicable management alternatives. The predictive results provide quantitative comparisons for the trend and extent of groundwater quality mitigation under each scenario. Recommendations are made for measures that can both improve groundwater quality and sustain productive agricultural development.     

Surveying Upstate NY Well Water for Pesticide Contamination: Cayuga and Orange Counties

Private wells in Cayuga and Orange counties in New York were sampled to determine the occurrence of pesticide contamination of groundwater in areas where significant pesticide use coincides with shallow or otherwise vulnerable groundwater. Well selection was based on local groundwater knowledge, risk modeling, aerial photo assessments, and pesticide application database mapping. Single timepoint samples from 40 wells in each county were subjected to 93‐compound chromatographic scans. All samples were nondetects (reporting limits ≤1 μg/L), thus no wells from either county exceeded any of 15 state groundwater standards or guidance values. More sensitive enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) found two wells with quantifiable atrazine in each county (0.1–0.3 μg/L), one well with quantifiable diazinon (0.1 μg/L) in Orange County, and one well with quantifiable alachlor (0.2 μg/L) in Cayuga County. Trace detections (<0.1 μg/L) in Cayuga County included atrazine (five wells), metolachlor (six wells), and alachlor (one well), including three wells with multiple detections. All 12 Cayuga County wells with ELISA detections had either corn/grain or corn/forage rotations as primary surrounding land uses (although 20 other wells with the same land uses had no detections) and all quantified detections and most trace detections occurred in wells up to 9‐m deep. Orange County trace (<0.1 μg/L) ELISA detections (atrazine three wells, diazinon one well, and metolachlor five wells) and quantified detections were only generally associated with agricultural land uses. Finding acceptable drinking water quality in areas of vulnerable groundwater suggests that water quality in less vulnerable areas will also be good.     

Impact of the Use of Reclaimed Water on the Quality of Groundwater Resources in the Jordan Valley,Jordan

The use of reclaimed water and its impact on groundwater quality in the middle and southern parts of the Jordan Valley are investigated. The chemical analyses indicate that nitrate and bacteriological pollution is widespread, and thus, seriously affects groundwater use. During the study, 365 water samples were collected from wells and springs to determine the water chemistry and the extent of nitrate pollution. Three hydrochemical facies are identifed, i. e., (Ca–(Mg)–Na–HCO₃), (Ca–Na–SO₄–Cl) and (Ca–Na–Cl). The change of facies is accompanied by a gradual increase in the groundwater total dissolved solids (TDS), which is mainly controlled by evaporates and carbonates dissolution in the aquifer matrix. Water analyses indicate that the shallow aquifer in the study area is affected by non‐point pollution sources, primarily from natural (manure) and chemical nitrogen (N)‐fertilizers and treated wastewater used for agriculture. The concentration of nitrate in the groundwater ranges from 10 to 355 mg/L. Considerable seasonal fluctuations in groundwater quality are observed as a consequence of agricultural practices and other factors such as annual rainfall distribution and the Zarqa River flow. The noticeable levels of total coliform and Escherichia coli in the northern part of the study area may be attributed to contamination from the urban areas, intensive livestock production, and illegal dumping of sewage. Heavy metal concentrations in all samples were found to be significantly lower than the permissible limits for drinking water standards.     

Hydrogeochemistry and environmental isotopes of ground water in Jeju volcanic island,Korea: implications for nitrate contamination

Ground water from springs and public supply wells was investigated for hydrochemistry and environmental isotopes of ³H, ¹⁸O and D in Jeju volcanic island, Korea. The wells are completed in a basaltic aquifer and the upper part of hydrovolcanic sedimentary formation. Nitrate contamination is conspicuous in the coastal area where most of the samples have nitrate concentrations well above 1 mg NO₃ N/l. Agricultural land use seems to have a strong influence on the distribution of nitrate in ground water. Comparison of stable isotopic compositions of precipitation and ground water show that ground water mostly originates from rainy season precipitation without significant secondary modification and that local recharge is dominant. ³H concentration of ground water ranged from nearly zero to 5 TU and is poorly correlated with vertical location of well screens. The occurrence of the ³H‐free, old ground water is due to the presence of low permeability layers near the boundary of the basaltic aquifer and the hydrovolcanic sedimentary formation, which significantly limits ground water flow from the upper basaltic aquifer. The old ground water exhibited background‐level nitrate concentrations despite high nitrate loadings, whereas young ground water had considerably higher nitrate concentrations. This correlation of ³H and nitrate concentration may be ascribed to the history of fertilizer use that has increased dramatically since the early 1960s in the island. This suggests that ³H can be used as a qualitative indicator for aquifer vulnerability to nitrate contamination. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrogeochemical Interaction Between a Municipal Waste Stabilization Lagoon and a Shallow Aquifer

Unlined municipal waste stabilization lagoons are potential sources of ground-water contamination. Fourteen monitoring wells were installed around the Mc Ville, North Dakota lagoon, a site at which the impoundment is excavated into permeable sediments of an unconfined glacio-fluvial aquifer with a shallow water table. One cell at the site, Cell I, retains waste water continuously, while another, Cell II, is used for periodic overflow discharges from Cell I. Seepage through the bottom of Cell I passes through a strongly reducing organic sludge layer. Sulfate in the waste water is reduced to sulfide and possibly precipitated as sulfide minerals in or below this sludge layer. In the unsaturated or shallow saturated zone beneath the pond, the infiltrating waste water reduces ferric iron in iron oxide minerals to more soluble ferrous iron. Proximal down-gradient well analyses indicate high iron concentrations and very low sulfate levels. Downgradient wells near the lagoon have very high ammonium concentrations. The source of the ammonium is either rapid infiltration from Cell II or denitrification of the nitrate present in ground water upgradient from the lagoon. About 300 feet downgradient from Cell I, ammonium concentrations decline to near zero. The most likely mechanism for this decrease is cation     

Unexpected nationwide nitrate declines in groundwater of Korea

Elevated levels of nitrate in groundwater are an important concern for health and the environment. The overapplication of nitrogen fertilizer to croplands is one of the major sources of high nitrate content in groundwater. In this study, we analyse the nitrate concentrations in Korean groundwater based on data from groundwater quality monitoring wells (n = 1,022–2,072), which were sampled twice annually over a recent 13‐year analysis period (2001–2013). We report that groundwater nitrate levels are decreasing, despite steadily increasing groundwater use. The maximum nitrate concentration decreased from 168.91 to 48.11 mg/L, whereas the mean values also show a gradual decreasing trend. Non‐parametric Mann–Kendall tests on nitrate concentrations also confirm the decreasing trend. The nitrate decrease is more clearly evident in agricultural groundwater as compared to domestic and drinking groundwaters. This decrease of nitrate in groundwater coincides with a large decline in nitrogen fertilizer application due to reduced cropland areas, more sustainable agricultural practices, and progressive improvement of sewage disposal services. This study proposes that the long‐term adoption of best practices in agriculture has had a positive impact on groundwater nitrate control.     

Estimating Local Ground-Water Flow Conditions in a Granitoid: Preliminary Assessments in the Waldoboro Pluton Complex, Maine

Periodic dry wells are reported by some homeowners in Knox and Lincoln Counties, Maine. These wells pump from the migmatitic Bucksport Fm. which is intermixed with the granitoids of the Waldoboro Pluton Complex. Previous remote sensing and geologic mapping delineated marked northeast-trending structures in the WPC which were initially suspected as influencing ground-water flow for sustainable well yields. A sample area, Pemaquid Pond, in the WPC was studied in more detail including preliminary hydraulic testing of homeowner wells and ground-waiter flow modeling. Wells with sustainable and greater yields appear to be associated instead with zones of northwest-trending structures in granitoids not intermixed with the Bucksport Fm. Dry wells appear to be more prevalent amongst northeast-trending structures in areas where the migmatitic metamorphic rocks outcrop. Hydraulic studies, including pumping, slug, pressure, and borehole dilution testing, resulted in a wide range of calculated hydraulic conductivities. Dual-porosity flow modeling and geostatistical parameterization of the flow conditions suggest that the anisotropic hydraulic conductivity is near E-9 m/d.     

Geologic controls on the chemical behaviour of nitrate in riverside alluvial aquifers,Korea

To investigate the origin and behaviour of nitrate in alluvial aquifers adjacent to Nakdong River, Korea, we chose two representative sites (Wolha and Yongdang) having similar land‐use characteristics but different geology. A total of 96 shallow groundwater samples were collected from irrigation and domestic wells tapping alluvial aquifers. About 63% of the samples analysed had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean drinking water limit (44·3 mg l^?1 NO₃^?), and about 35% of the samples had nitrate concentrations that exceeded the Korean groundwater quality standard for agricultural use (88·6 mg l^?1 NO₃^?). Based on nitrogen isotope analysis, two major nitrate sources were identified: synthetic fertilizer (about 4‰ δ¹⁵N) applied to farmland, and animal manure and sewage (15–20‰ δ¹⁵N) originating from upstream residential areas. Shallow groundwater in the farmland generally had higher nitrate concentrations than those in residential areas, due to the influence of synthetic fertilizer. Nitrate concentrations at both study sites were highest near the water table and then progressively decreased with depth. Nitrate concentrations are also closely related to the geologic characteristics of the aquifer. In Yongdang, denitrification is important in regulating nitrate chemistry because of the availability of organic carbon from a silt layer (about 20 m thick) below a thin, sandy surface aquifer. In Wolha, however, conservative mixing between farmland‐recharged water and water coming from a village is suggested as the dominant process. Mixing ratios estimated based on the nitrate concentrations and the δ¹⁵N values indicate that water originating from the village affects the nitrate chemistry of the shallow groundwater underneath the farmland to a large extent. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of Agriculture on Ground-Water Quality in Five Regions of the United States

Water-quality conditions in surficial unconsolidated aquifers were assessed in five agricultural regions in the United States. The assessment covers the Delmarva Peninsula, and parts of Long Island, Connecticut, Kansas, and Nebraska, and is based on water-quality and ancillary data collected during the 1980s. Concentrations of nitrate in ground water in these areas have increased because of applications of commercial fertilizers and manure. Nitrate concentrations exceed the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for drinking water of 10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 12 to 46 percent of the wells sampled in the agricultural regions. Concentrations of nitrate are elevated within the upper 100 to 200 feet of the surficial aquifers. Permeable and sandy deposits that generally underlie the agricultural areas provide favorable conditions for vertical leaching of nitrate to relatively deep parts of the aquifers. The persistence of nitrate at such depths is attributed to aerobic conditions along ground-water-flow paths. Concentrations of nitrate are greatest in areas that are heavily irrigated or areas that are underlain by well-drained sediments; more fertilizer is typically applied on land with well-drained sediments than on poorly drained sediments because well-drained sediments have a low organic-matter content and low moisture capacity. Concentrations of other inorganic constituents related to agriculture, such as potassium and chloride from potash fertilizers, and calcium and magnesium from liming, also are significantly elevated in ground water beneath the agricultural areas. These constituents together impart a distinctive agricultural-chemical trademark to the ground water, different from natural water.     

Radium in Coastal Sarasota County Ground Water

Sarasota County is one of 10 generalized areas of the continental United States known to haw high concentrations of naturally occurring radium in fresh ground water (Chandler 1989). Various authors have conducted investigations to examine the distribution of radium in ground water, rivers, and estuaries. They concluded that ground water was the source of radium, but rivers were also enriched with radium as a result of the interaction with ground water. The Glulf of Mexico also has areas with radium enrichment resulting from geothermal springs with concentrations as high as 51 picocuries per liter. During 1986 and 1987. the Health and Rehabilitative Services of the state of Florida collected ground water data for radium analysis of private drinking water wells. These data were used to develop a contour map of radium-226 concentrations for coastal Sarasota County.     

Associations Between Rural Land Uses and Ground Water Quality in the Ogallala Aquifer, Northwest Texas

Recent nitrate, chloride, and bromide concentrations were studied in the Ogallala Aquifer of northwest Texas. The study included 361 wells with a median depth of 92 m in a rural area dominated by agricultural activity and oil and gas production. Only five observations surpassed the 44.3 mg/L standard for nitrate (10 mg/L NO₃-N). Four other observations, and one from the preceding set, exceeded the secondary standard of 250 mg/L for chloride. Maximum concentrations were 91.2 mg/L, 1530 mg/L, and 0.70 mg/L for nitrate, chloride, and bromide, respectively. Chloride/bromide ratios covered a broad range, from 30.4 to 10930, but medians were < 160 for each of two years analyzed. There were statistically significant correlations between nitrate and chloride, and chloride and well depth. Results of this study suggest that agricultural activity has locally impacted ground water in north-west Texas. Regionally, low aquifer recharge rates have curtailed ground water contamination from potentially adverse land uses.