Pope SWCD has partnered on this event. Landowners in the Sauk River Watershed in Pope County should have received a postcard in the mail with details about this well water screening event. We encourage you to participate. This event will be held on August 27th from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Stearns County Fairgrounds. All are welcome to participate in this event. Please register by visiting the link below.

https://www.stearnscd.org/privatewell

REGISTER HERE AT THIS LINK, BY CALLING 320-634-5327, OR EMAIL KATHERINE.DISRUD@MN.NACDNET.NET:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdjEmHwPNeo5sAD9RXOtJN6eMPmHlG45bkgaWYD7xGVWn1LEw

Pope Soil and Water Conservation District will be hosting a free water testing clinic Friday, August 1st from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Pope County Fair. Bring your water sample to the Pope SWCD booth in the Industrial Building at the fairgrounds for a free nitrate analysis. To receive the best results, collect a minimum of one-half cup of water in a clean container within two hours of testing.  Water should be at room temperature for testing.

Nitrogen exists in the environment in both organic and inorganic forms. When in its inorganic form, it is an essential element to plants. However, when considering water quality, nitrogen becomes a concern when in its nitrate form. Excessive nitrate concentrations in groundwater can be hazardous to human and environmental health. High levels of nitrates can affect how blood carries oxygen in the body. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set 10 mg/L as the maximum contaminant level for nitrate-nitrogen in drinking water. The Minnesota Department of Health recommends that private wells are tested for nitrates every 1-2 years. If nitrates have been previously detected or if an infant under six months will be consuming the water, testing should be conducted more frequently.

Nitrates most commonly enter groundwater through leaching or draining. Because nitrate does not attach to soil particles, it is easily moved by water filtering through the soil. The contamination can result from both human causes and natural sources. Although both can lead to hazardous conditions, it is often human caused sources that force nitrate concentrations into dangerous levels. Sources include fertilizer application, manure storage, and sewage disposal.  Some primary factors that have an effect on nitrogen leaching include nitrogen rate and sources, application timing, irrigation practices, age of site, and soil texture. There are home water treatment units that can help remove nitrates from your drinking water.  However, prevention of nitrogen loss is the preferred method of reducing nitrate concentrations in groundwater.

Rosholt Research Farm Field Day Set for August 21

We invite producers, landowners, and local partners to attend the upcoming Rosholt Research Farm Field Day, scheduled for Thursday, August 21, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Rosholt Research Farm- 910 OLD HWY 28 Westport MN 56385

A free meal will be provided, catered by Lakes Area Catering.            

This educational event will highlight current research trials and practical innovations in soil health and nutrient management. Presentation topics include:

• Nitrogen use in irrigated corn with cover crops
• Efficient irrigation and nitrogen management strategies
• Interpreting soil moisture data, variable rate, probe technologies
• Soil health assessment and wind erosion demonstration
• Drone cover crop seeding demonstration

Pre-registration is required. Event details and registration links are available through the Pope SWCD (www.popeswcd.org) and Stearns CD (www.stearnscd.org). Participants are encouraged to register by August 13th using the link online or by calling 320-634-5327.

Funding support for research studies and field day at Rosholt Research Farm is provided by the Minnesota Department of Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council (AFREC), the Minnesota Office for Soil Health (mosh.umn.edu), MN Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Clean Water Fund. For additional funding details, visit www.legacy.mn.gov/clean-water-fund.

This event is organized by Pope and Stearns Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

For questions or media inquiries, please contact: Katie Disrud, Pope SWCD  320-634-5327 | www.popeswcd.org

Register by using this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfwl0Jhir1fTsf9phY2H8SB66tHixHKNt401kr7QZqJVwSW3g/viewform?embedded=true