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WA study finds timing, manure affects nitrates

March 14, 2014, Whatcom County, WA – Applying dairy manure to fields as a fertilizer can be a major source of nitrate pollution in groundwater, depending on the timing and amount of manure applied, according to a new study out of Whatcom County.

Like the Lower Yakima Valley, Whatcom County has a lot of dairy farms and a significant percentage of wells near them have been found to have nitrate levels above federal drinking water standards. Understanding how farming practices can influence groundwater is an important part of solving the nitrate pollution problem for both communities. READ MORE