Potential Nitrate Contamination of Groundwater in the Roscoe Area, Winnebago County, Illinois
Year: 1983
Type: report
Abstract: Traditional tools for the evaluation of septic tank site suitability have been found to be inadequate for assessing the potential pollution of underlying groundwater in highly permeable soils.The Winnebago County Public Health Department has recently had to deal with a large number of "rural" residential homes built on permeable outwash terrace deposits along the Rock River.Located approximately 12 miles north of Rockford near the village of Roscoe, hundreds of homes have been built using individual well and septic systems for water supply and wastewater disposal.An investigation of the groundwater flow system was undertaken to better define how surface and near-surface activities affected groundwater quality.Major emphasis was placed on nitrate quality because of its association with septic tank wastewaters and the potential harmful effects of elevated nitrates in drinking water.A mass balance model was subsequently developed to assess the long term impacts of current and future developments in the area.Over 1100 groundwater samples and 100 water level measurements were collected to define changes in groundwater quality and flow direction.Nitrate content was found to be related to groundwater recharge, usage, wastewater effluent quantity and quality, agricultural fertilizer usage, and proximity to nitrate sources.The study described in this report was coordinated by the Illinois State Water Survey for Winnebago County upon approval by the County Board.
Author: Heidi Wehrmann
Language: English
Subfield: Geochemistry and Petrology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2167511166