James E. Ruhl Shannon E. Smith 1995 <p>This report presents selected data collected during the first year (December 1993 to September 1994) of a three year water-quality study of surficial-sand aquifers and selected lakes in east Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The objectives of the study are (1) to determine the presence and distribution of nitrate-nitrogen and selected pesticides in ground water from the surficial-sand aquifers; and (2) to characterize the water quality of selected lakes and the Otter Tail River.</p> <p>Ground water was sampled from 73 wells. The concentration of nitrate nitrogen in ground water was above 10 mg/L (milligrams per liter) in 30 of the sampled wells (38 percent). The concentration of triazine herbicide compounds, as determined by immunoassay, was above the detection limit 0.10 ug/l (micrograms per liter) in water from 17 of the sampled wells (24 percent). The nitrate- nitrogen concentration in water from 14 wells, compared to data collected during a previous study in 1979-81, increased in water from 4 wells and decreased in water from 4 wells.</p> <p>Lake water was sampled from 11 sites on Little Pine, Big Pine, Rush, and Otter Tail Lakes. Nitrate-nitrogen concentrations were all below the detection limit (0.05 mg/L). The concentration of triazine herbicide compounds, as determined by immunoassay, was at or below the detection limit (0.10 ug/L) at all 11 sites. Dissolved oxygen concentrations at the sites ranged from 7.3 to 10.1 mg/L at the water surface, and from 5.3 to 9.7 mg/L at depth. Secchi disk transparency readings ranged from 4.0 to 7.4 feet. Total phosphorus concentrations were generally near or below the detection limit (0.01 mg/L) except at one site where the water had a total phosphorus concentration of 0.06 mg/L.</p> application/pdf 10.3133/ofr95116 en U.S. Geological Survey Presence and distribution of nitrate and selected pesticides in surficial-sand aquifers and selected lakes, 1993-94, East Otter Tail County, Minnesota reports