The impact of cattle pasturing on groundwater quality in bedrock aquifers having minimal overburden

Widespread agricultural activity may threaten water quality in fractured bedrock aquifers having little overburden protection. A study in Canada improves the understanding of the potential impact of agriculture on water quality in bedrock aquifers, focusing on spatial and temporal variability of nitrate and bacteria. A research site was developed in and adjacent to a hay field where a gneissic aquifer is overlain by a thin veneer of unconsolidated glacial material. Ten wells were installed, hydraulically tested and completed as multilevel piezometers. Results of monthly sampling for nitrate, dissolved organic carbon, and E. coli show significant temporal and spatial variation in concentrations. Intensive 5-day sampling rounds conducted during baseflow and recharge conditions indicate that bacterial concentrations vary daily, with higher concentrations during recharge periods. The location of the impacted monitoring wells is correlated to an upgradient cattle pasture that is used periodically each summer. It is evident that periodic upgradient sources, dilution from recharge, and heterogeneous flow systems lead to varied and unpredictable contaminant concentrations. The temporal and spatial variability of contaminants in bedrock aquifers with minimal overburden must be considered for the protection of human health, as annual or even monthly groundwater monitoring may not capture unsafe concentrations.