WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF NITROGEN IN CARSON VALLEY?
A primary focus of this study is to identify sources of nitrate in ground water in Carson Valley. Several potential sources of nitrate exist that are derived from human activities in Carson Valley. These include nitrate from agriculture (urine and feces from livestock, fertilizer application to crops, etc.), irrigation using treated effluent that contains elevated nitrate concentrations, septic systems, and domestic application of fertilizer. Natural sources of nitrogen in the ground water are limited in Carson Valley, and nitrate concentrations in wells that have not been impacted by human nitrogen sources generally are less than 1 mg/L as nitrogen.
