ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE APRIL 1, 2009

SURVEY FINDS PESTICIDES IN NORTH DAKOTA SURFACE WATER

BISMARCK – Pesticides found in surface water samples taken from three North Dakota rivers clearly demonstrate the need for an on-going, sustainable surface water monitoring program, says Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson.

“The 2008 testing program found a total of nine different pesticides, all herbicides, in the Sheyenne, Mouse (Souris) and Yellowstone Rivers,” Johnson said. “Since about 40 percent of North Dakota’s drinking water comes from surface sources, mostly rivers, it seems evident that a comprehensive testing program is needed to determine that those sources are safe.”

The survey for 184 pesticides was conducted from April through October at nine sites along the three rivers by personnel from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA), the North Dakota State Health Department and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Jessica Orr, an NDDA environmental scientist, coordinated the survey.

Johnson said that while no pesticides were found in enough quantity to pose a risk to human health or to irrigated crops, they could adversely affect aquatic ecosystems.

“We wanted to know more about pesticides in surface water for a variety of reasons,” he said. “There are other reasons to be concerned about pesticides in surface water besides the risk to human health.”

The survey found the herbicide diuron in concentrations that could be harmful to aquatic life. Diuron is the generic name for a broad-spectrum herbicide, used for industrial purposes. Brand names include Karmex, Direx and Perdition.

Other herbicides found in the sampling were 2,4-D, atrazine, bentazon, clopyralid, dicamba, dichlorprop, imazapyr, and triclopyr. DCPMU, a degraded residue of diuron, was also found. All of them, except the diuron, were in concentrations of less than one part per billion, well below the levels that the Environmental Protection Agency has deemed harmful to humans.

“The next step is to conduct further tests on these rivers this year and to look for potential sources of the diuron in the Souris,” Johnson said. “In the meantime, however, North Dakota should be looking into funding a surface water quality survey program for the entire state.”

Funding for the survey was provided by the 2007 Legislature.

The study can be found on the NDDA website at www.agdepartment.com.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov.