Updated Groundwater Protection Rule Maps Now Available

St. Paul, MN: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has issued updated maps that will help farmers across the state comply with the Groundwater Protection Rule. The Groundwater Protection Rule aims to reduce the risk of nitrate from fertilizer impacting groundwater in areas of the state where soils are prone to leaching and where drinking water supplies are threatened. The rule restricts fall application of nitrogen fertilizer in areas vulnerable to contamination and it outlines steps to reduce the severity of contamination in areas where nitrate is already elevated in public water supply wells.

Restriction of fall fertilizer applications, in vulnerable groundwater areas, begins on September 1 each year. Farmers can visit the MDA website to view the vulnerable groundwater areas map and determine whether the restriction applies to their land.