Protecting Your Groundwater Through Farmstead
Assessment:
A Farmstead Checklist
AE-1073 (Revised), November 1996
John Nowatzki, Water Quality Associate
Bruce Seelig, Water Quality Specialist
Thomas Scherer, Agricultural Engineer
Why You Should Care
Over 95 percent of North Dakota's rural residents depend on
groundwater for their drinking water supplies — most through
the use of private wells. If you rely on a private well for your
water, it is extremely important to make sure your water is safe
to drink.
You can help protect your drinking water by learning to
recognize potential sources of groundwater pollution on your
farmstead and working to reduce or eliminate them. If you live
in an area where the soils are sandy or where the water table is
within 20 feet of the surface, you should be particularly
concerned because the potential for groundwater contamination is
greater in these areas.
What You Can Do
This checklist has been designed to make you aware of
conditions or practices on your farmstead that increase the risk
of groundwater contamination. It is divided into six sections, so
you can more easily identify particular situations on your
farmstead that are putting your drinking water at risk. A
separate publication for each section is available to assist you
with a more in-depth discussion on each question asked. These
circulars are available at your local county extension office. If
you answer "Yes" to any of these questions, you should
consider (if possible) modifying your operations to reduce the
risk of your groundwater supply being contaminated. You
should also begin testing your water regularly. Annual testing
for bacteria and nitrate is recommended.
Assessing the Condition of Your Water Well and Its Location
Answer Yes or No:
- Is your well shallow (less than 50 feet deep)?
- Do you have either a driven well or a dug well? (A
driven well has a special point on the end, is driven
in a series of short sections, and is usually less
than 50 feet deep. A dug well is usually greater than
3 feet in diameter, less than 50 feet deep, and dug
by hand.)
- Was your well constructed more than 50 years ago?
- Is there a depression around the casing of your well?
- Does the casing of your well extend less than 12
inches above the ground level?
- Is your wellhead located in a pit?
- Can you see any cracks or holes in the casing or
cover of your well?
- Are there abandoned wells on your farmstead that have
not been properly plugged?
Please refer to Extension Circular AE-1074 Assessing the Condition of Your Water Well
and Its Location for more help if you answered
"Yes" to any of the preceding questions.
Assessing Your Household Wastewater Treatment Practices
Answer Yes or No:
- Is your septic tank or drain field less than 100 feet
from your well?
- Do you fail to pump out your septic tank on a regular
basis (about once a year if you have a garbage
disposal or once every three years if you don't)?
- Do you commonly dump grease, oils, or leftover
household chemicals down the drain?
Please refer to Extension Circular AE-1075 Assessing Your Household Wastewater
Treatment Practices for more help if you answered
"Yes" to any of the preceding questions.
Assessing Your Hazardous Waste Management Practices
Answer Yes or No:
- Do you dispose of hazardous household chemicals such
as furniture polish, paints, stains, and drain
cleaners or their containers on your farmstead?
- Do you dispose of waste oil and grease, used
antifreeze, or lead acid batteries on your farmstead?
- Do you dispose of unwanted or banned pesticides or
pesticide containers on your farmstead?
Please refer to Extension Circular AE-1076 Assessing Your Hazardous Waste Management
Practices for more help if you answered "Yes"
to any of the preceding questions.
Assessing Your Farm Chemical Storage and Handling Practices
Answer Yes or No:
- Do you store pesticides on your farm?
- Do you store fertilizer on your farm?
- Are chemicals stored on a permeable surface such as
wood, gravel or dirt?
- Are chemicals stored in an area without a containment
curb?
- Do you have pesticide containers that are rusting,
have been patched or have holes or tears?
- Do you use or store farm chemicals within 150 feet of
a well?
- Are chemicals stored in an area exposed to activities
that could damage containers or result in chemical
spills?
- Are chemicals stored in a location that is unlocked
and open to vandalism and children?
- Do you fill your sprayer tank directly from your
well?
- Do you fill your sprayer tank with a hose that does
not have a check valve or put the hose in the tank so
that it is below the water line during filling?
- Do you leave your sprayer tank unattended when
filling?
- Do you mix/load chemicals up slope or less than 150
feet from your well?
- Do you mix/load chemicals in an area which does not
have a concrete pad with a curb to contain spills?
- Do you wash your sprayer tank out on the farmstead
and dump the rinsate less than 150 feet from your
well?
Please refer to Extension Circular AE-1077 Assessing Your Farm Chemical Storage and
Handling Practices for more help if you answered
"Yes" to any of the preceding questions.
Assessing Your Petroleum Product Storage Practices
Answer Yes or No:
- Do you have an underground fuel storage tank?
- Do you have a fuel storage tank less than 20 feet
from your well?
- Do you have a fuel storage tank, of any type, more
than 15 years old or a bare steel fuel storage tank
more than 3 years old?
- Have you failed to inventory your fuel use or check
your fuel storage tanks for leaks?
- Is protection against leaking or spills from your
fuel storage tanks lacking, i.e., no catch basin or
concrete catch pad and containment?
Please refer to Extension Circular AE-1078 Assessing Your Petroleum Storage Practices
for more help if you answered "Yes" to any of the
preceding questions.
Assessing Your Livestock and Dairy Operations
Answer Yes or No:
- Do you have livestock/poultry within 100 feet of your
well?
- Do you store manure within 250 feet of your well?
- Does runoff from your livestock feedyard run near
your well?
- Do you dispose of dead animals on your farmstead near
your well?
- Do you store silage within 50 feet of your well?
- Is your silage stored on permeable soil?
- Is milk house wastewater discharged within 250 feet
of your well?
Please refer to Extension Circular AE-1079 Assessing Your Livestock and Dairy
Operation for more help if you answered "Yes"
to any of the preceding questions.
For More Information
This checklist does not cover all of the practices of the
farmstead that increase the risk of groundwater contamination. If
you have specific questions about protecting your drinking water,
contact your local extension agent. They can discuss your
particular concerns in greater detail.
AE-1073 (Revised), November 1996 (Reviewed and
reprinted July 1998)
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