Survey finds North Dakota surface water near pesticide free
Survey finds North Dakota surface water near pesticide free
Trace amounts of 9 chemicals including 2,4-D,
atrazine and diuron found
A second comprehensive, statewide survey has found only minimal amounts of pesticides in North Dakota rivers.
“The 2010 surface water monitoring program shows North Dakota’s rivers and streams have minimal pesticide contamination – just trace amounts of nine commonly used products,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, who released the survey Monday. “These results also show that current regulations, use restrictions and our enforcement strategy are effective in preventing pesticide contamination of surface water.”
Goehring said that personnel from the North Dakota State Health Department and the U.S. Geological Survey took water samples at 33 sites from April through October. The sites were located on the Bois de Sioux, Cannonball, Des Lacs, Forest, Goose, Heart, James, Knife, Little Missouri, Maple, Park, Red, Sheyenne, Souris, Turtle and Wild Rice Rivers, and Cedar and Spring Creeks. Each site was sampled four times.
Pacific Agricultural Laboratory, Portland, Ore., analyzed the samples for 180 different pesticides and pesticide residues. Extremely low levels were detected of 2,4-D, atrazine, bentazon, bifenthrin, clopyralid, dicamba, diuron, MCPA and metolachlor.
“Most of the detections – 29 of the 43 – were in the Red River Valley,” Goehring said. The Missouri River basin had seven detections of five different pesticides.”
