Water Quality

Water Quality Sampling Reports

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Final Report on the 2010 Survey of Weed Management Practices in Wisconsin Atrazine Prohibition Areas - 11 page PDF
This report describes a survey of weed management practices in Wisconsin's atrazine prohibition areas that was conducted in 2010.

Fifteen Years of the DATCP Exceedence Well Survey (14 page PDF)
This report presents fifteen years of sampling results for private wells that have exceeded a groundwater enforcement standard for a pesticide.

Agricultural Chemicals in Wisconsin Groundwater - 2002 (21 page PDF)
This report covers a survey of groundwater quality in Wisconsin conducted in 2002.

Agricultural Chemicals in Wisconsin Groundwater - 2008 (28 page PDF)
This report covers a survey of groundwater quality in Wisconsin conducted in 2008.

Chloroacetanilide Herbicide Metabolites in Wisconsin Groundwater (13 page PDF)
The report details a recently completed study that looked for the presence of alachlor, metolachlor and acetochlor and their break down products in Wisconsin groundwater.

Groundwater Protection: An Evaluation of Wisconsin's Atrazine Rule (46 page PDF)
This report looks at three private well sampling programs aimed at measuring changes in atrazine levels in groundwater. The results of the sampling programs, along with other information, were used to evaluate the atrazine rule. January 1997, 36 pages.

Exceedence Survey: Resampling Wells that Previously Exceeded a Pesticide Enforcement Standard (21 page PDF)
This study measured changes in pesticide concentrations in wells that had previously exceeded an enforcement standard. February 1996, 17 pages.

Grade A Dairy Farm Well Water Quality Survey
The report covers a random survey of groundwater at Grade A Dairies in Wisconsin using private water supply wells. The water from the wells was analyzed for commonly used agricultural herbicides and nitrate.

Final Report on Evaluation of Renewed Use of Atrazine in Atrazine Prohibition Areas (15 page PDF)
The main objective of the study was to determine the impact of atrazine use, in compliance with the Wisconsin atrazine rule, on shallow groundwater in atrazine prohibition areas. The study gathered information to assist with the determination if the department should consider repealing atrazine prohibition areas. Published March 2008.

Final Report on the DATCP Study of Water Quality at Infiltration Basins in Residential Subdivisions (9 page PDF)
The purpose of this study was to determine whether infiltration basins for surface water runoff control might be a route for groundwater contamination by pesticides. Surface water and groundwater samples were analyzed for pesticides used on turf and gardens.

Surface Water Sampling Project (15 page PDF)
Between April and September 2008, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) conducted a Surface Water Sampling project to document the impact of pesticide use on several streams in smaller watersheds in Wisconsin. As part of this project, surface water samples were collected monthly from ten streams in Wisconsin. Appendix A (Excel) and Appendix B (Excel) contain the survey data.