Sources of nitrate contamination in Central Illinois streams and lakes

Misganaw Demissie, M. Asce, Laura Keefer, Susan Shaw, Ken Nichols

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

High nitrate concentrations in drinking waters that depend on surface water sources have become a chronic problem in the agricultural region of the Midwest. Water supply utilities in central Illinois have been exceeding the federal regulation for nitrate in drinking water for many years. Federal and state regulatory agencies are forcing these utilities to develop plans to reduce nitrate concentrations below the maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/l within a short period of time. The Illinois State Water Survey conducted studies for two water supply utilities to identify the sources of nitrate in the watersheds and to evaluate the feasibility of watershed-based solutions to the nitrate problem. Data collected over two- and three-year periods indicate that although there are some differences in nitrate yields from different sub-watersheds, these differences are not very significant.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages113-118
Number of pages6
StatePublished - 1997
EventProceedings of the 1997 27th Congress of the International Association of Hydraulic Research, IAHR. Part D - San Francisco, CA, USA
Duration: Aug 10 1997Aug 15 1997

Other

OtherProceedings of the 1997 27th Congress of the International Association of Hydraulic Research, IAHR. Part D
CitySan Francisco, CA, USA
Period8/10/978/15/97

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Engineering

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