Water Quality

Warmer weather is here and our precipitation has changed from snow to rain, though snow melt also creates stormwater runoff. The next time it rains, go outside and notice how the rainwater moves from roof areas and gutters, driveways, walkways, and other concrete or asphalt surfaces. Make sure this water is not flowing toward your private drinking water well.

Historical and current water quality monitoring shows that nitrate is present in groundwater throughout much of Nebraska. It is when results are at or above the 10mg/L Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) that hazardous health effects become a concern among humans and animals. Nitrate is colorless, odorless, and tasteless and the only way it can be detected in drinking water is through submitting a sample for laboratory testing.  Where Does Nitrate Come From and What is Nitrification?

In Nebraska, 85% of our citizens rely on drinking water pumped from the ground. When a community's public drinking water supply is affected by high nitrate levels that exceed 10 ppm, it can cost hundreds of thousands - even millions - of dollars to fix.

Caption:  A simple overview of how the water softening process works. As hard water enters the water softener, it filters through a resin that is supersaturated with a sodium (Na) brine. The calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) in the hard water attach to the resin beads and are exchanged for sodium (Na), thus making soft water for use throughout the home. Over time, the exchange resin becomes saturated with Ca and Mg and has to be regenerated with the Na brine solution so an effective water softening process can continue. (Graphic by Nebraska Extension)

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a problem currently within public surface water bodies and will continue to challenge animal agriculture. AMR can impair our ability to use antibiotics to fight infections and other ailments. Antimicrobials make their way to our water primarily by ways of industrial waste, manure application, and aquaculture. Using responsible manure spreading practices, runoff prevention, spreading awareness, and partnering with your veterinarian for responsibly using antimicrobials can help aid in the solution.

Manure produced in animal feeding operations is a source of fertilizer that can be used to reduce our dependency on commercial fertilizers. Manure contains several essential nutrients that crops that crops rely on to grow, most notably nitrogen and phosphorus. Proper management of manure before, during, and after land application helps to slow down the contamination of our streams and reservoirs.

Vegetative Treatment Areas (VTA) are used in multiple Nebraska cattle operations to help improve and maintain water and nutrient quality. This article will explain what a VTA is and how it works. It will then detail how valuable nutrients contained in the manure will be captured and reused. It will also describe what size of feeding operations should install a VTA. Lastly, it will detail how a producer can get assistance to install one.

Dietary nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus, are excreted in manure from feedlot cattle. Dietary strategies, including calculated protein supplementation and phase-feeding programs, can be implemented by cattle feeders to decrease nutrient excretion and improve nutritional efficiency of the animal.

Groundwater is often the main source of drinking water for rural communities, especially in the Midwestern United States, so it is important to keep that water at levels that are safe to drink while minimizing environmental impacts. Although animal manure has many benefits to farmers, it can contaminate groundwater supply if not managed properly. This article discusses important considerations when storing and applying manure and includes requirements for testing of well water.

Nitrate Challenges