1. Groundwater Contamination from
Ammonia, Nitrate, & Nitrite: In Search
of a Regional Approach
Korey Brunken
Conestoga-Rovers & Associates

2. EPA Region 7

4. Common Industries
Agriculture
 37.8% of Corn Cash
Receipts (2004)
Iowa (1)
Nebraska (3)
Kansas (8)
Missouri (9)

5. Common Industries
Livestock
 18.6% of Cash Receipts
(2004)
Nebraska (3)
Iowa (4)
Kansas (5)
Missouri (15)

6. Common Challenges
Ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite enter our groundwater (and
surface water) through a number of pathways:
• Feedlot infiltration
• Legal application of fertilizer
• Accidental point releases

7. Common Challenges
Ammonia/Nitrate/Nitrite in drinking water
is not a new problem…
A 1996 survey of 21 states found nitrates in excess of the maximum
contaminant limit in:
• Nebraska – 118 systems; >107,000 affected
• Iowa – 56 systems; >90,000 affected
• Kansas – 67 systems; >93,000 affected
(Missouri not included in survey)

8. Progress
Minimizing ammonia/nitrate/nitrite impact
in a number of ways:
 Education
 Facility Management
 Monitoring
 Education, education, education…

9. We Can Do More
Pockets of knowledge
◦ University extension offices
◦ Regulatory agencies
◦ Technology working groups
◦ Consultants

10. Investigation & Remediation
Field Methods
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
NitrateConcentrationfromLaboratory(ppm)
EM Quant Field Test Strip Result (ppm)
NitrateTest Strip Correlation

11. Case Studies
 More is better
 Less refined
 Address specific technology/methods

12. Background Data
 Pervasive nature of ammonia/nitrate/nitrite one
of the biggest challenges
 Overwhelming amount of data is out there
 State regulators are necessarily burdened with
assessing

13. What Does the Answer Look
Like?
• Open source
• Raw/unrefined
• Messy

14. Contact
kbrunken@craworld.com

15. References
http://kansasagnetwork.com/2013/new-usgs-report-updates-decline-of-high-plains-aquifer-groundwater-levels/
http://www.cruiseinturkey.net/about/maps-2/map-of-missouri-river
http://stuffaboutstates.com/agriculture/crops/grain_corn.htm
http://stuffaboutstates.com/agriculture/agricultural_rank_table_livestock.htm
http://www.ewg.org/research/nitrogen-contamination-drinking-water/table-16-over-1000-water-systems-serving-124-
million