The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture (MDA) is starting a project to prevent nitrates from entering groundwater in Sherburne County.

 

Tuesday,   Jennifer Gallus, who works in the fertilizer field unit of the MDA, gave a report to the county board. 

 

“The core of our job is dealing with elevated levels of nitrates in drinking water, and also when we believe the nitrate is caused by fertilizer from agriculture,” she said. “It presents risk to infants and adults with compromised immune  systems.”

 

Gallus said some townships in the county have high levels of nitrates in their drinking water.

 

The MDA and Sherburne Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) offered free nitrate water testing kits in 2014 and 2015. Five townships - Becker, Palmer, Haven, Clear Lake and Santiago,  were selected for the study because of their sandy soils and row crop agriculture.

 

The result of the testing showed in Haven Twp., 13.8% of 224 wells tested had levels over the healthy limit of 10 parts per million (ppm) of nitrate.

 

Clear Lake had 11.3% of 195 wells tested over the limit.

 

“Since MDA is responsible for protecting groundwater nitrate contamination, we’re starting projects in both townships,” said Gallus. “The goal is to assist farmers in using best management practices for nitrogen fertilizers.”

 

The best management practices were developed by the University of Minnesota. 

 

 “It focuses on nitrogen fertilizer use at the right rate and the right time, sometimes using nitrogen stabilizers, which will delay the release of nitrogen when applied to crops,” said Gallus.

 

The project is one of the first of its kind in the state under the newly revised fertilizer management plan. Washington County will take part in a similar project. 

 

Gallus said MDA and SWCD will form an advisory committee of farmers, crop consultants and interested citizens in both townships. Meetings will begin in March.

 

Gallus said there is also the possibility of regulatory components.

 

“After a period of three cropping seasons, if it’s found that best management practices are not being employed on 80% or more of acres in two townships, they may be subject to regulation,” she said.

 

She said the regulation hasn’t been spelled out yet, but it’s in process now.

 

 “It could be the requirement of professional training, doing your own water testing or developing a nitrogen management plan,” she said.

 

Gallus said property owners whose wells were tested were informed about their nitrogen levels. She said those with high levels were told they should use bottled water for mixing with formula if there were infants in the household.

 

She said there are also reverse osmosis and distillation treatment systems for nitrates, but recommended they be checked each month to make sure they’re working properly.