The Nevada Department of Agriculture Water Quality Program

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The Nevada Department of Agriculture Water
Quality Program

• The Nevada Department of Agriculture has been
  involved in groundwater protection since 1990
• Cornerstone of the program is the monitoring
  component

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Funding Challenges

• Identify Alternative Funding Sources
• Be Flexible
• Training
• USGS Cooperative Agreement

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Proposed FY 2008 Activities
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Nevada Department of Agriculture Surface Water
Groundwater 2007 Monitoring Plan Surface Water
Monitoring and Sample Collection In 2007 the
Nevada Department of Agriculture will begin
sampling surface water for pesticide
contaminants. The number of samples and sampling
procedure is to be determined after a meeting
with USGS in early 2007. The proposed surface
water sampling site(s) will be located in at the
Virgin River and its tributaries in Clark County
Nevada. The Virgin River was selected because
due to the presence of two federally endangered
species. Both species are fish the Virgin River
chub, Gila robusta seminude and the Woundfin,
Plagopterus argentissimus. The segment of the
Virgin River in Nevada is partially surrounded by
urban development as well as agricultural
cropland. Product labeling related to the
protection of endangered species from pesticides
may directly impact the use of some pesticides in
this region.
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Nevada Department of Agriculture Pesticides of
Concern Designation and Management Revised
November 2006 Pesticides of concern A pesticide
of concern is a pesticide that is identified as
having a significant potential to approach or
exceed a human health or an environmental
reference point in ground or surface water.
Designation as a pesticide of concern prioritizes
that the pesticide is managed to ensure
concentrations are maintained or reduced below
the reference point. Pesticides of interest
Pesticides of interest are those that are
identified by the state as having the potential
to occur in ground or surface water at
concentrations approaching or exceeding a
reference point. Reference Points and
Benchmarks Reference points and responses are
described beginning on page 103 of the state
management plan. Reference points or benchmarks
for pesticides of concern are based on maximum
contaminant levels (MCL), health advisory levels
(HAL) established by U.S. EPA see 2006 Edition
of the Drinking Water Standards and Health
Advisories. Aquatic life benchmarks are
derived from U.S. Geological Survey NAWQA
Pesticide National Synthesis Project,
Publications-CIRC 1291 The Quality of Our
Nations Waters-Pesticides in the Nations Streams
and Ground Water, 1992-2001 Appendix
3A. Pesticides of concern and pesticides of
interest in surface water and groundwater The
following active ingredients are designated as
pesticides of concern or pesticides of interest
in surface water and/or groundwater due
to Properties that may result in groundwater
contamination. Previous detections in groundwater
in Nevada by NDOA. Detections in water by USGS
see Water Quality in the Las Vegas Valley Area
and the Carson and Truckee River Basins Nevada
and California, 1992-1996 USGS Circular
1170 NOTE pesticides that were detected by USGS
and do not appear on this list were either
cancelled or not registered in Nevada.
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Nevada Department of Agriculture Pesticide
Programs Groundwater Observation Well Pesticide
Contamination Source Investigation Report Report
prepared by Jon Carpenter March 31, 2005
Well Name Washoe County Yard 1 Well Location
Marquez Way 800 feet west of Longley Lane and 30
feet to the South of an animal shelter. Maps to
this location are attached to this report. GPS
39 29 37.0 119 45 30.8 Well Data Installed
April 20, 1994 by USGS Nevada staff. Cased to 15
feet static water level 5.68 feet on April 20,
1994. The well drillers report is included. The
well was installed according to National Water
Quality Assessment NAWQA guidelines.
Groundwater Sample Collection and Lab
Analysis Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDOA)
Environmental Compliance staff has sampled the
well ten times. The first sample was collected
on June 1, 2000 and the last was collected on
October 26, 2004. A summary of all sampling
events which includes positive detections is
attached to this report. All pesticide detections
are below established EPA health advisory levels,
see Table 1. The three pesticides detected are
all pre-emergent herbicides and have properties
that contribute to leaching into the groundwater.
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• Washoe County Yard and Greg Street
• Facility managers (SPPCO and Washoe County) were
  notified, pesticide records and use practices
  were reviewed. NDOA made recommendations to
  change pesticide management practices and recent
  samples have shown no pesticide contamination.

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NDOA Inspection Checklist
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Performance Measures

• of Pesticides of Interest Evaluated
• of Pesticides of Concern Managed
• of Pesticides of Concern Managed with
  Demonstrated Progress Toward Reduction

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Nevada Department of Agriculture Water Quality
Program

• Problems (Special Projects, Funding Needs)
• -New Method Development/Equipment (Lab
  Improvements)
• -Sampling Equipment Costs
• -Identifying Alternatives
• -Training Opportunities
• -Well Closing/Repair Costs
• -New Monitoring Sites

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