HASTINGS AREA NITRATE STUDY FINAL REPORT

Dakota County conducted this Clean Water Partnership (CWP) project to determine the cause and extent of nitrate contamination in the groundwater in the City of Hastings and the surrounding townships. The County's partners in the Hastings Area Nitrate Study were The City of Hastings The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), and The Metropolitan Council. In order to quantify and map patterns of elevated nitrate in the City of Hastings and the surrounding townships, the County and its project partners gathered and analyzed data on: private and public drinking water quality, surface water quality, farming practices, sewage treatment conditions, geology, soils, and groundwater flow patterns. The study found that the major source of nitrate contamination was row-crop agriculture, although strong evidence of sewage contamination was also found. The study also developed an Implementation Plan to reverse the trend in nitrate contamination and restore water quality through new and existing activities: public outreach and education; improving agricultural practices; protecting the Vermillion River; protecting natural areas; maintaining and upgrading septic systems; regulating well construction and sealing; and follow-up monitoring and research.