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Nitrate Challenges: The Lost Creek Alluvial Fan

Nitrate Challenges: The Lost Creek Alluvial Fan. Laura Alvey Groundwater Remediation Program April 23, 2014. Lost Creek. Stillwater River. Lost Creek. Stillwater River. Lost Creek Fan Shallow (<150 ft ) Potentiometric Surface Map (August 2008). Lost Creek Fan Subsurface:

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Nitrate Challenges: The Lost Creek Alluvial Fan

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  1. Nitrate Challenges: The Lost Creek Alluvial Fan Laura Alvey Groundwater Remediation Program April 23, 2014

  2. Lost Creek Stillwater River

  3. Lost Creek Stillwater River

  4. Lost Creek Fan Shallow (<150 ft) Potentiometric Surface Map (August 2008)

  5. Lost Creek Fan Subsurface: • Cobbles and boulders • Sand lenses • Highly permeable

  6. What’s the Problem? MBMG Study

  7. What’s the Problem? ?

  8. Nitrate Source Identification (Where is it coming from?) • Enforcement under MT Water Quality Act: responsibility based on causation • Important for fate and transport analysis: • Where did nitrate enter the environment? • Who/what is being affected? • Where is it going? • What can we learn to better manage nitrate in future?

  9. Challenge: Many Nitrate Sources

  10. Septic Systems Center Pivots

  11. Tools for Nitrate Source Identification • Stable isotope analysis of NO3 nitrogen and oxygen • Analysis of co-contaminants • Pharmaceuticals, residential wastes (caffeine, artificial sweeteners) • Agricultural chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, other fertilizers) • Metals (boron) • Chloride, other major ions • Bacteria

  12. General Findings • Nitrate highest in shallow (<150 ft) wells • Deeper wells have less nitrate (why?) • Stabile nitrate levels between 2002-2011 • Isotope results: no clear single source, but suggest fertilizer as a dominant source where nitrate is highest • Co-contaminants: nitrate and chlorides trend together, other results inconclusive/mixed

  13. Effective Nitrate Management: • Permitting programs need to recognize susceptible resources • Increased inspections of sensitive sites to ensure compliance

  14. Effective Nitrate Management: • Permitting programs need to recognize susceptible resources • Increased inspections of sensitive sites to ensure compliance

  15. Effective Nitrate Management • Encourage Best Management Practices • Soil moisture sensors • Soil testing • Crop selection • Use of shallow versus deep aquifer

  16. Effective Nitrate Management: • Property owner education: fertilizers use, well testing, septic upkeep • Require engineered septic systems in sensitive areas • Require domestic wells completed in deep aquifer • Require well completion to minimize cross-contamination

  17. Effective Management • Baseline monitoring important (MBMG, Ag, USGS) • Track impacted groundwater (statewide?)

  18. Questions/Comments?

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