Water Quality
Tri-Basin NRD Groundwater Quality Management Area Landowner/Operator Responsibilities (12/21/1999)
The following summary of Tri-Basin NRD's Groundwater Management Area rules and regulations is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide a complete and definitive account of all district rules related to groundwater management.
Tri-Basin NRD's Groundwater Management Area was established in 1989 to reduce groundwater nitrate contamination. Below is a link to the full Rules and Regulations, however it is always good to contact the Tri-Basin NRD to see if there have been any updates that may not have been posted yet.
Groundwater Management requires reporting nitrogen usage. The Nitrogen Crop Reports are due December 31st to the Tri-Basin NRD. After harvest please contact the Tri-Basin to request your forms or a list of the fields you need to report on.
Rules and Regulations Summary
Phase I Areas (Entire District)
- Commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops are prohibited before November 1 on loam and clay soils.
- Commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops are prohibited before March 1 on sandy soils.
- Anyone who wishes to drill a new water well or replacement well with a flow rate greater than 50 gallons per minute must apply for a well permit before drilling the well. There is a $50.00 fee for well permits.
Phase II Areas
- Commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops are prohibited before November 1 on loam and clay soils.
- Commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops are prohibited before March 1 on sandy soils.
- Anyone who wishes to drill a new water well or replacement well with a flow rate greater than 50 gallons per minute must apply for a well permit before drilling the well. There is a $50.00 fee for well permits.
- Annual water test of all irrigation wells for groundwater nitrate content.
- Annual soil sampling of all crop fields to a minimum depth of 30 inches for residual nitrate/nitrogen.
- Nitrogen management certification once every four years for all groundwater users. Certification is obtained by attending district approved educational programs. Contact the NRD office for a list of certification programs and dates.
- Submittal of annual Groundwater Management Reports (Crop Reports) by all producers containing information about groundwater nitrate content, residual soil nitrate content, recommend nitrogen application, actual nitrogen applied, crop yield and irrigation water applied. Nitrogen Management Reports are due December 31.
Phase III Areas
- Commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops are prohibited before November 1 on loam and clay soils.
- Commercial nitrogen fertilizer applications for spring-planted crops are prohibited before March 1 on sandy soils.
- Anyone who wishes to drill a new water well or replacement well with a flow rate greater than 50 gallons per minute must apply for a well permit before drilling the well. There is a $50.00 fee for well permits.
- Annual water test of all irrigation wells for groundwater nitrate content.
- Annual soil sampling of all crop fields to a minimum depth of 30 inches for residual nitrate/nitrogen.
- Nitrogen management certification once every four years for all groundwater users. Certification is obtained by attending district approved educational programs. Contact the NRD office for a list of certification programs and dates.
- Submittal of annual Groundwater Management Reports (Crop Reports) by all producers containing information about groundwater nitrate content, residual soil nitrate content, recommend nitrogen application, actual nitrogen applied, crop yield and irrigation water applied. Nitrogen Management Reports are due December 31.
- Commercial nitrogen fertilizer application for spring-planted crops is prohibited between September 1 and March 1, on all soils, except up to 60 pounds actual nitrogen may be applied as an ingredient in fertilizer formulations composed of other ingredients.
- Tri-Basin NRD can mail you Nitrogen Management Report forms. Contact Tammy Fahrenbruch at tfahrenbruch@tribasinnrd.org if you have questions about the Nitrogen Management Reports or Groundwater Quality Management program.
