Herbicides in Surface Waters of the Midwestern United States: The Effect of Spring Flush

By E.M. Thurman, D.A. Goolsby, M.T. Meyer, and D.W. Kolpin

Introduction

Approximately three-fourths of all preemergent herbicides used in the United States are applied to row crops over a 12-state area, called the "corn belt". The application of these compounds may cause widespread degradation of water quality. Because herbicides are water soluble, there is the potential for leaching into groundwater and surface water, as well as aerial transport and occurrence in precipitation. Monitoring studies in the Midwest have shown widespread detection of herbicides in groundwater and in surface water; however, little is known about the regional impact of herbicide application. The objective of our research was to assess the magnitude and persistence of herbicide runoff in the spring flush at the regional scale.

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Thurman, E.M., Goolsby, D.A., Meyer, M.T., and Kolpin, D.W, 1991, Herbicides in Surface Waters of the Midwestern United States: The Effect of Spring Flush [abst.]: Environmental Science & Technology, v. 25, p. 1794-1796.

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