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CLIFF OHMART Vineyard View Nitrates and Water in California State Water Resources Control Board to prepare a report for the state legislature assessing nitrate contamination of groundwater. The goals of the report were to better understand the sources of the contamination, to propose ways of treating the groundwater to ensure safe water for drinking, suggest ways of reducing or preventing further contamination as well as ways to recover the state's costs for cleaning up or treating groundwater designated for drinking. The water board contracted with the University of California, Davis, to undertake the study. Many growers awaited the report's release with trepidation because of an active rumor mill connected with the report. As one of my colleagues from UC Davis said, the report was one of the university's worst-kept secrets from the past several years. Winegrape growers seemed much less worried as the report's release date neared; many felt the they would avoid the spotlight because they apply far less nitrogen per acre than growers of many other crops. Now that the report is out, however, it seems likely that regional A "We can do it all" ... • Bottling Lines • Barrels • Tanks • Floors and Walls •Winery Equipment • Vineyard Equipment Built by • Sterilize bottling lines • Clean stainless steel tanks • Clean and maintain barrels • Sanitize floors and walls • Steam clean equipment We'll get you all steamed up. We work well under pressure. 800-735-9277 or www.cleanwinery.com ARS/Pressure Washer Company Wework well under pressure. 56 WINES & VINES AUGUST 2012 water quality control boards will increase the regulatory requirements for any California growers applying nutrients to their fields. Clean • Sterilize • Humidify report released in March about nitrate contamination of groundwater has triggered a process by Califor- nia's regional water quality control boards that will potentially affect farmers across the state. Although winegrape growers apply less nitrogen than farmers of other crops, it appears they will not escape scrutiny. In 2008 a bill was signed into law requiring the California Some are in denial The report is sobering. (Download it at groundwaternitrate. ucdavis.edu to read for yourself.) The role agriculture has played in today's groundwater quality in these regions is clear. Editorials in a few agricultural trade journals have questioned the report's conclusions, casting doubt on the soundness of the science behind the report. Some have hinted that the source of the nitrates has not been proven. Those who believe this, however, are in denial. That is not to say the situation is cut and dry. Nitrate leaching and groundwater contamination has been occurring for several decades. The time it takes for nitrates to leach from a source to wells and/or groundwater ranges from years to many decades. Therefore current nitrate levels in the groundwater of many regions are due to nitrogen applications that occurred long ago. Likewise, actions taken today to reduce nitrate leaching may not affect drinking water sources for several years or even many decades. Another complicating factor is the local nature of groundwater quality. The permeability of soils and hydrology varies greatly from site to site, so problems are very much local in nature. Finally, there is no data to show that high nitrate levels in drinking water have a significant effect on normal, healthy adults. The deleterious effects express themselves through the blue-baby syndrome that affects newborn infants exposed to high-nitrate drinking water consumed by their mothers and themselves. Davison_Dir06.qxt 10/28/05 2:25 PM Page 1 Davison Winery Supplies 1819 NE Baker St., McMinnville, Or 503-472-1711 The Northwest's Most Complete Winemaking Supply! For the professional or the beginner, we have it all. www.dwinesupplies.com