Effect on ground water

The ground water is water that fills openings in ground and bedrock. Ground water is born when rain and surface water are absorbed through  the layers of ground and flows in the cracks in the bedrock. The ground water storages are filled in the spring from the melted snow and in the autumn from autumn rains.

Pollution of ground water can be a big problem especially for the environment but also for humans! When you use polluted ground water as drinking water it can cause many diseases like dysentery. But also a surplus of nutrients in the plant can be dangerous for humans and animals. Therefore it is important to consider the following points!

1. Fertilizing adapted to the soil: on sandy soils leaching is more possible than on clay soils
2. The right amount and the right time of application: just apply what the plants need and obey the regulations
3. The weather at the time of application: if it is raining it is more likly that the nutrients get washed out into the ground water or they get aquired to surface water
4. The kind of manure itself: the leaching of the nutrtrients depends on the kind of manure, if it is slurry or dry manure

Page updated 10.4.2006