The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) established the Central Sands Private Well Network in 2011 to address concerns about elevated nitrate levels in private drinking water wells across the region. This initiative plays a vital role in protecting drinking water quality and informing well owners about nitrate trends in their area. A key success of the project has been the observed downward trend in nitrate levels.
Project Overview
The Central Sands Private Well Network includes all counties in the region, with a focus on monitoring nitrate levels in private wells:
- Phase 1 Goal: Determine current nitrate concentrations in private wells throughout the Central Sands region.
- Phase 2 Goal: Identify areas of concern and develop a long-term nitrate trend monitoring network.
Key Highlights
- Monitoring Network:
A total of 1,555 private wells have been analyzed for nitrate levels.- A subset of 555 wells is being used to establish a long-term monitoring network.
- The network spans 14 counties, including Becker, Benton, Cass, Crow Wing, Douglas, Hubbard, Kandiyohi, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pope, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, and Wadena.
- Private Well Monitoring Process:
Participants completed a survey about their wells, detailing construction type, depth, and age.
Each participant received a certified lab kit to collect water samples for analysis.
Results
Nitrate levels across the Central Sands region revealed significant variability:
- 88.6% of wells had nitrate concentrations below 3 mg/L.
- 6.8% ranged from 3–10 mg/L.
- 4.6% exceeded the drinking water standard of 10 mg/L.
Key Findings:
- Morrison County had the highest percentage of wells (10.5%) with nitrate levels over 10 mg/L.
- Benton and Wadena Counties reported around 8% of wells exceeding the standard.
- Cass, Crow Wing, and Douglas Counties reported no wells over 10 mg/L.
- Shallow wells (0–50 ft) accounted for 46% of wells exceeding 10 mg/L.
- Older wells (50+ years) showed a higher proportion of elevated nitrate levels.
Access Reports
The results and trend analyses from the Central Sands Private Well Network are accessible through the Minnesota Digital Water Research Library.
Recent Reports:
- 2023 Results: Central Sands Private Well Network for Nitrate
- 2022 Results: Central Sands Private Well Network for Nitrate
- 2021 Results: Central Sands Private Well Network for Nitrate
Impact and Future Goals
The Central Sands Private Well Network provides critical insights into nitrate trends, helping to protect drinking water quality. By establishing a long-term monitoring framework, this project will continue to educate and empower private well owners across Minnesota.
For more details, check out the full 2011 Summary Report (PDF) and explore the latest updates in nitrate monitoring.
Central Minnesota Irrigators 