LBNRD Testing Shows High Nitrate Levels

By Gordon HopkinsThe Little Blue Natural Resources District (LBNRD) released the results of nitrate testing conducted over the summer. Those results show high nitrates throughout the area.LBNRD sampled 338 irrigation wells for nitrates in July and August. The average nitrate levels in ppm (parts per million) for each Water Quality Sub-Area is: Bruning: 14.2 Carleton/Davenport/Shickley: 10.7 Clay/Nuckolls: 11.1 Deshler/Byron/Ruskin: 13.4 Fairbury: 11.7 Hastings: 10.9 Kenesaw/Prosser: 5.4 Superior/Hardy: 14.6The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the maximum contaminant level of nitrates in public drinking water supplies at 10 parts per million (ppm). All the sub-areas testing above that.In a recent newsletter, LBNRD recommends, “Farmers irrigating with nitrates present in their irrigation water should be thinking about the nitrogen credit they are receiving through their water. One ppm of nitrate in water is equal to .23 lbs. of nitrogen for every inch that is applied. As an example, if you have 10 ppm of nitrates in your water, you are applying 2.3 lbs. of nitrogen for every inch you irrigate. If you irrigate ten inches with 10 ppm of nitrates, you are putting 23 lbs. of nitrogen on your crop with your water alone. If LBNRD tested your well this year, you should have received a postcard from us telling you what your well tested at.”While the wells tested are irrigation wells and not drinking water wells, the wells that provide the City of Fairbury with water have also consistently tested in the higher range for nitrates. The city created a Water Sourcing Committee to locate a lower-nitrate drinking water source for the city.Fairbury’s wells were last tested on August 8, 2024. Samples are collected quarterly. According to City Councilperson Brain Schmidt, who is also chair of the Water Sourcing Committee, East wells #1 and #3 combined tested at 9.27 ppm for nitrates. East wells #2 & #3 combined were 8.38 ppm. The well at Crystal Springs was 6.56 ppm. The Crystal Springs well has been offline since 2021 due to the presence of biofilm.

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