Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District Groundwater Quality Monitoring
The USGS Nebraska Water Science Center has been collecting groundwater quality samples in cooperation with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD) since 1992 in support of the NRD's groundwater management plan. The basic geochemistry and age of the groundwater was established. Well waters are sampled yearly throughout the NRD to monitor the resource and assess concentrations of agriculture-related chemicals as well as additional nutrients and pesticides.
Metropolitan areas in this NRD are serviced by municipal water supplies. For Omaha, water supplies come from the Missouri and Platte Rivers. Most small towns and all rural residents obtain their water from groundwater wells. This is a unique system because a majority of the concerns for the NRD are focused on the surface water supplies, yet as the cities grow more people are tapping into the groundwater supplies, either through personal domestic wells or municipal wells in smaller towns.
Five principal aquifers are within the Papio-Missouri River NRD: the Dakota aquifer and Elkhorn River Valley, Missouri River Valley, Platte River Valley, and upland area alluvial aquifers. Water samples from these 5 aquifers were assessed for concentrations of agriculture-related chemicals, as well as additional nutrients and pesticides. Samples are collected to monitor trends for selected State of Nebraska Title-118 analytes that have been detected at 30% of the maximum contaminant level. Evolution of the monitoring program has increased awareness of specific contamination issues such as concentrations of nitrate.
2015 SAMPLING
- 33 samples collected
- 22 Platte/Elkhorn alluvial sites including 4 cluster wells: Ashland, Venice, Springfield, Elkhorn Crossing
- 3 Dakota aquifer sites
- 1 cluster wells in areas of interest: Tekamah
2015 RESULTS
- Triazine was detected in 7 samples.
- Seven samples were analyzed for an in-depth pesticide suite.
- Atrazine and deethylatrazine detected in 6 samples.
- Metalochlor detected in 4 samples.
- Atrazine degradate detected in 2 samples.
- Propazine detected in 1 sample.
2016 SAMPLING PLAN
- Water from 25 sites in the Upland Alluvial Aquifer will be sampled.
- Water from Tekamah, Springfield, Venice, and Boyer Chute well clusters will be sampled.
- Baseline sampling of water from new cluster wells as pumps are installed.
The USGS Nebraska Water Science Center has been collecting groundwater quality samples in cooperation with the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District (NRD) since 1992 in support of the NRD's groundwater management plan. The basic geochemistry and age of the groundwater was established. Well waters are sampled yearly throughout the NRD to monitor the resource and assess concentrations of agriculture-related chemicals as well as additional nutrients and pesticides.
Metropolitan areas in this NRD are serviced by municipal water supplies. For Omaha, water supplies come from the Missouri and Platte Rivers. Most small towns and all rural residents obtain their water from groundwater wells. This is a unique system because a majority of the concerns for the NRD are focused on the surface water supplies, yet as the cities grow more people are tapping into the groundwater supplies, either through personal domestic wells or municipal wells in smaller towns.
Five principal aquifers are within the Papio-Missouri River NRD: the Dakota aquifer and Elkhorn River Valley, Missouri River Valley, Platte River Valley, and upland area alluvial aquifers. Water samples from these 5 aquifers were assessed for concentrations of agriculture-related chemicals, as well as additional nutrients and pesticides. Samples are collected to monitor trends for selected State of Nebraska Title-118 analytes that have been detected at 30% of the maximum contaminant level. Evolution of the monitoring program has increased awareness of specific contamination issues such as concentrations of nitrate.
2015 SAMPLING
- 33 samples collected
- 22 Platte/Elkhorn alluvial sites including 4 cluster wells: Ashland, Venice, Springfield, Elkhorn Crossing
- 3 Dakota aquifer sites
- 1 cluster wells in areas of interest: Tekamah
2015 RESULTS
- Triazine was detected in 7 samples.
- Seven samples were analyzed for an in-depth pesticide suite.
- Atrazine and deethylatrazine detected in 6 samples.
- Metalochlor detected in 4 samples.
- Atrazine degradate detected in 2 samples.
- Propazine detected in 1 sample.
2016 SAMPLING PLAN
- Water from 25 sites in the Upland Alluvial Aquifer will be sampled.
- Water from Tekamah, Springfield, Venice, and Boyer Chute well clusters will be sampled.
- Baseline sampling of water from new cluster wells as pumps are installed.