Nitrates in Groundwater

Third Trend Analysis of Food Processor Land Application Sitres in LUBGMA 
June 23, 2011 (click here for .pdf)

• 2.0 PORT OF MORROW SITES 
  
  2.1 Introduction The Port of Morrow currently land applies approximately 1.8 billion gallons of processing wastewater and approximately 4.6 billion gallons of supplemental water annually to approximately 5700 acres of farm land near Boardman, Oregon. The wastewater stream is primarily potato processing water. Other wastewater streams include cooling tower blow down, boiler blow down, onion process water, cheese processing water, corn processing ethanol plant water and storm water. This water is land applied using sprinkler irrigation systems to three farms and provides nutrients to grow a variety of crops. The supplemental water consists of Columbia River water, several groundwater wells, and canal water. This water, as evidenced by the above volumes, is the primary source of irrigation to the farms and applied in order to provide enough moisture for proper crop growth. The city of Boardman's treated sewer water is applied to circle 52. Future plans include non-contact cooling water from a data center and a small waste water stream from a cellulosic ethanol plant. 
  
  The wastewater in 2009 contained, on average, approximately: 
  
  - 86 mg/l Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) 
  - 18.9 mg/l of the TKN is ammonia 
  - 1.69 mg/l Nitrates 
  - 1518 mg/l Total Dissolved Solids 
  
  3.0 CONAGRA SITES 
  
  3.1 Introduction 
  
  ConAgra (known as Lamb-Weston in previous trend analyses) currently land applies approximately 700 million gallons of wastewater annually consisting of potato processing wastewater, defrost wastewater and wash water from Americold, and the Hermiston Co-Generation facility wastewater. During 2009, average values for ConAgra's wastewater include: 
  
  - 2,347 mg/l Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 
  - 107 mg/l Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN) 
  - 31 mg/l ammonia 
  - 1,553 mg/l total dissolved solids (TDS) 
  - 704 mg/l total suspended solids (TSS) 
  - 4.9pH 
  
  Principal components of ConAgra's wastewater treatment system include screens, a primary clarifier, an oil/grease separator, a lined surge pond, and an unlined five million gallon storage lagoon. 
  
  The wastewater is applied on two parcels of land: the North Farm and Madison Ranch. The locations of the North Farm and Madison Ranch are indicated in Figure 1-2. The North Farm is owned by ConAgra and consists of 693 acres, while the Madison Ranch site is owned by Madison Farms and consists of approximately 4,900 acres. Both sites are managed by Madison Farms and are irrigated with center pivot and wheel line systems. Crops grown using the wastewater include a rotation of alfalfa, wheat, corn, peas, pasture grass, and canola.

• Types of wells sampled in the Third Sampling 
  Domestic (42 wells) 
  Industrial (2 wells) 
  Irrigation (9 wells) 
  Monitoring (54 wells)

• Significant changes between First Sampling and Third Sampling
• The First Sampling was conducted between June and July 1992 (97 wells) 
  The Third Sampling was conducted between September 2009 and January 2010 (107 wells)
• 97 of the 107 wells sampled in the Third Sampling were also sampled in the First.

• Second LUBGWMA Action Plan
• 255 well sampled between November 2016 and April 2016
• Alluvial Aquifer Public Supply Wells (1742 wells) 
  Private Water Wells (56 wells) 
  Irrigation Wells (10 wells) 
  Monitoring Wells (171 wells)
• Stock Watering Wells (1)

• Lower Umatilla Basing Groundwater Management Bounderies

• Plume Map - April 21, 2022

• Public and Private Drinking Water Wells that Have Exceeded the Nitrate Drinking Water Standard LUBGMA

• Nitrate Trends at LUBGWMA Well Network - Analysis of the Groundwater Nitrate Concentrations in the LUBGWMA