Land Use/Land Cover

Land use is the biggest factor in groundwater quality that is can be controlled by human activity. How we use and manage the land cover can determine groundwater quality in both the present, and well into the future. Within Dunn County, over 70% of the land is covered by forest and row crop agriculture. These different land uses are not spread evenly throughout Dunn County. The largest swaths of continuous agricultural land use can be found in the southeastern portion of the county while much of the northern portion is forested. This is a large reason why groundwater quality varies so much throughout Dunn County, but this is not the only factor with a strong influence. Click here to view the map of the land use across Dunn County.

 

 

Agricultural Land Use

Approximately 90% of the nitrates within the groundwater are estimated to come from agricultural practices. However, it is important to remember that this is not a new problem. While many farmers have or are switching to best management practices that greatly reduce the amount of new nitrates entering groundwater, there is no way they can remove nitrates that entered the groundwater years ago.

 

Non-Agricultural Land Use

The largest single contributor to contamination within groundwater is agriculture, but this does not mean that farming is the only source. Private septic systems are a known contributor to groundwater contamination. If a septic system is not properly maintained, monitored, or is located too close to a well, contaminants from the drain field can end up in your drinking water. More information on how to locate and maintain your septic system to protect your well can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/septic/septic-systems-and-drinking-water