The impact of agricultural practices on shallow groundwater in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky

Conference · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:5026756

Hampson, S K; Sendlein, L V.A. ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences

To study the effects of agricultural practices on the groundwater quality of the Inner Bluegrass Region of Kentucky, a large representative row crop and livestock production operation was chosen. Located in southeastern Bourbon County, the study area encompasses a 1,400 acre watershed underlain by limestones and shales of the Ordovician age Lexington Limestone Formation. Sampling and testing of surface water, ephemeral, and perennial spring waters began in the area in October, 1989. At crop and pasture micro-sites within the study area, nests containing porous-cup lysimeters and monitoring wells were installed prior to the 1992 growing season. Samples from the nest locations were analyzed for Nitrate-N, triazines, metolochlor, carbofuran, alachlor, and 2,4-D. While only ten per cent of the total samples from the study area showed triazine or Nitrate-N concentrations in excess of EPA limits, greater than 80 per cent of the samples showed concentrations of triazines above detection limits, and greater than 70 per cent of the samples contained concentrations of Nitrate-N above detection limits. Occurrences of detectable concentrations of triazines and Nitrate-N were more frequent at crop-site nests, than at pasture-site nests. Nests at both the crop and pasture sites indicated dilution of Nitrate-N and triazine concentrations with depth.

• OSTI ID: 5026756
• Report Number(s): CONF-9303210-; CODEN: GAAPBC
• Journal Information: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:3; Conference: 27. annual Geological Society of America (GSA) North-Central Section meeting, Rolla, MO (United States), 29-30 Mar 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GROUND WATER
WATER POLLUTION
NITRATES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
TRIAZINES
AQUIFERS
AZINES
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC WASTES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
WASTES
WATER
540220* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
580000 - Geosciences