HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kolpin, D. W. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Kolpin, D. W. Agricola Articles by Kolpin, D. W.

Agricultural Chemicals in Groundwater of the Midwestern United States: Relations to Land Use

U.S. Geological Survey, 400 S. Clinton St., Iowa City, IA 52244.

^* Corresponding author (dwkolpin{at}usgs.gov).

ABSTRACT

To determine the relations between land use and concentrations of selected agricultural chemicals (nitrate, atrazine residue [atrazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) + deethylatrazinc (2-amino-4-chloro-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) + deisopropylatrazine (2-amino-4-chloro-6-ethylamino-s-triazine)], and alachlor residue [alachlor, [2-chloro-2',6'-diethyl-N-(methoxymethyl) acetanilide] + alachlor ethanesulfonic acid (alachlor-ESA; 2-[(2,6-diethylphenyl)(methoxymethyl)amino]-2-oxoethanesulfonic acid)] in groundwater, detailed land use information based on accurate measurements from aerial photographs for the 1991 growing season was obtained within a 2-km radius surrounding 100 wells completed in near-surface unconsolidated aquifers in the midwestern USA. The most significant land use factors to the agricultural chemicals examined were: nitrate (amount of irrigated crop production, positive relation), atrazine residue (amount of irrigated crop production, positive relation), and alachlor residue (amount of highly erodible land, inverse relation). The investigation of smaller buffer sizes (size of circular area around sampled wells) proved insightful for this study. Additional land use factors having significant relations to all three agricultural chemicals were identified using these smaller buffer radii. The most significant correlations (correlation maxima) generally occurred at 500-m for nitrate and 1000-m for atrazine residue and alachlor residue. An attempt to improve the statistical relations to land use by taking hydrologic considerations into account (removing land outside the estimated most probable recharge area from the statistical analysis) was not as successful as anticipated. Only 45% of the nitrate, 32% of the atrazine residue, and 20% of the alachlor residue correlations were improved by a consideration of the estimated most probable recharge area.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. W. Glebe Scoring two-dimensional bids: how cost-effective are agri-environmental auctions? Eur. Rev. Agric. Econ., June 1, 2008; 35(2): 143 - 165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. V. Steele, H. M. Johnson, M. W. Sandstrom, P. D. Capel, and J. E. Barbash Occurrence and Fate of Pesticides in Four Contrasting Agricultural Settings in the United States J. Environ. Qual., May 1, 2008; 37(3): 1116 - 1132. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				N. P. de Guzman, P. Hendley, D. I. Gustafson, I. van Wesenbeeck, A. J. Klein, J. D. Fuhrman, K. Travis, N. D. Simmons, W. E. Teskey, and R. B. Durham The Acetochlor Registration Partnership State Ground Water Monitoring Program J. Environ. Qual., April 20, 2005; 34(3): 793 - 803. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. F. Spalding, M. E. Exner, D. D. Snow, D. A. Cassada, M. E. Burbach, and S. J. Monson Herbicides in Ground Water beneath Nebraska's Management Systems Evaluation Area J. Environ. Qual., January 1, 2003; 32(1): 92 - 99. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Worrall Direct assessment of groundwater vulnerability from borehole observations Geological Society, London, Special Publications, January 1, 2002; 193(1): 245 - 254. [Abstract] [PDF]