Progressive Management Strategies for Irrigation Water Management
During the summer of 2011, I worked with the U.S. EPA to address nitrate contamination of groundwater sources in the Lower Yakima Valley—an area dense with agricultural activity. My primary task was to identify the baseline information needed in support of the creation of a ground-water management area that would allow communities to protect and manage their groundwater sources. I was also tasked with identifying a series of best agricultural management practices that would lower nitrate contamination, providing efficient alternatives to traditional methods of irrigation.
Nitrate contamination of groundwater sources often affects the poorest individuals who have limited options for accessing clean water. For many living in agricultural areas, clean water is only available after families make overwhelming investments in filtration systems. Contaminated water is not just an issue of environmental steward- ship, it is an issue of environmental justice. My work with the EPA will help communities protect their water sources and establish rules to limit pollution.
